Boosting Soil Carbon in Northern Victoria
Between October 2012 and July 2015, Kilter Rural ran a trial designed to confirm the assumption that the return of permanent dryland groundcover to the landscape should result in more perennial vegetation, less cultivation, and therefore a gradual increase in and retention of soil organic carbon compared to the previous irrigated land use.
This project entailed sampling of 9 trial paddocks reflecting 4 management treatments (grazing,protected biodiversity and whether these had been passively or actively revegetated). Sampling and analysis for soil carbon was undertaken in October 2012 and again in July 2015. Each paddock was sampled at 18 randomised locations on each occasion.