Our Soil Sampling Team is Looking for You!
Aimee Mouritz (Project Delivery Officer - Sustainable Agriculture)
An ambitious project to bolster national soil information is underway, led by Wheatbelt NRM, in partnership with other WA NRMs, CSIRO and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. This information will include current Western Australian soil data with recent soils information and modern sampling methodologies used.
The data will be made accessible via the Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS) to assist landholders, researchers and other stakeholders to make informed decisions about soil management.
The aim of the project is to ‘provide nationally consistent soil data that could be used to indicate trends in soil health and condition across different ecosystems,’ National Soil Monitoring Program - CSIRO
Interested in learning more?
The Wheatbelt NRM team are heading to Wagin Woolorama Wagin Agricultural Society Inc on the 6th and 7th March, where the soil corer used for the project will be on display.
If you’re keen to get involved, come down and have a chat with our friendly staff and see if you have a target site for soil sampling on your property.
What are target sites?
Target sites are selected randomly from a subset of potential sample sites based on soil type and land used.
Sampling methodology includes taking 10 x 1m soil cores from over a 25 x 25m plot. The soil cores are then bagged into amalgamated 10cm increments and processed for chemical analysis. Biological samples will also be taken at 0-10cm and 20-30cm and analysed using eDNA technology.
All landholders involved in the project will receive a report with their sample site results.
Some of the current sites have been sampled in the past under other soil projects or as part of a weather station network. However, many of the sites are new, with the first round of sampling providing a baseline and to establish a monitoring site for proposed follow up sampling and analysis.
This project solidifies the federal government's commitment to implementation of the National Soils Action Plan which recognises Australian soils as a national asset that needs to be better understood and sustainably managed. National Soil Action Plan - DAFF
Wheatbelt NRM are pleased to see the prioritisation of soil health monitoring and management at a federal level. The activation of the national soils plan legitimises soil health as an issue that affects us all and we look forward to seeing meaningful outcomes and long-term results from the project.
For more information, contact Aimee Mouritz.
The National Soil Monitoring Program has been supported by funding through the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) in collaboration with CSIRO.
Published eNews #411, February 2026