South Coast landholders are set to benefit from a new project that aims to improve soil mapping, support sustainable soil management and boost the capacity of the local soil workforce.
The Know Your Southern Soils (KYSS) project is a partnership between the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and South Coast Natural Resource Management (South Coast NRM).
DPIRD project lead David Rowe from DPIRD said the holistic project would include a broadscale soil survey focused on two areas of the South Coast, where existing soil data is sparse.
“We aim to build a more complete picture of soils across the South Coast by collecting at least 800 new soil records,” he said.
“We’ve started connecting with landholders in the Wellstead and Salmon Gums districts and we’re looking forward to getting into the field to better understand local soils.
“The data will be integrated into online tools like DPIRD’s NRInfo and ultimately support long term soil health and productivity.”
South Coast NRM have partnered with North Stirlings Pallinup Natural Resources and ASHEEP & BEEF to establish demonstration sites, giving land managers first-hand insight into improved soil management strategies.
South Coast NRM Sustainable Agriculture program lead Suzannah Macbeth said the project would help satisfy demand for more localised soil knowledge and information in the region.
“We’re pleased to be working with DPIRD on this research and look forward to engaging with local grower groups to develop demonstration sites and events to showcase the benefits,” Ms Macbeth said.
“This work will help grow soil health knowledge among landholders and land managers to improve productivity and create economic benefits.”
A new DPIRD research scientist and development officer have joined the project team to gather data and share their knowledge through local workshops and events.
South Coast NRM coordinators in Esperance and Albany will support the project’s engagement and extension activities to help foster sustainable soil management across the region.
Landholders can register their interest for the 2026 South Coast workshops and events at ag@southcoastnrm.com.au.
The project forms part of the National Soil Action Plan 2023-28, backed by funding from the Australian and Western Australian Governments.
It also aligns with the WA Soil Health Strategy 2021-31 by improving soil data and mapping, building landholder capacity, and strengthening collaboration between government, NRM groups, and industry.
For more information on the KYSS project visit dpird.wa.gov.au/kyss.
Print this page
