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The Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority supports on-farm demonstrations...
Ground Covers for Soil Health

The Northern Rivers CMA funded SoilCare farmers to demonstrate the value of ground covers to improve soil structure, iincrease soil biological activity, promote nutrient cycling, increase water infiltration, control soil erosion, enhance IPM systems and more. Click on the 'details' for each farm to learn about what farmers are doing to improve soil health on their farms.



The Northern Rivers CMA hosts Biological Farming Safaris to visit farms
cooperating in the 'Ground Covers for Soil Health' project.

Ground cover demonstration project

SoilCare members at Garry Fetherston's banana plantation
details

 
soil aerator Right: Oxley Plantations details uses a soil aerator to incorporate ground covers into the soil with mimimum soil disturbance.
IPM plantings
"Highgate' Macadamias - Judy and Bob Howard trialled a number of ground covers during 2010 with an emphasis on improving biodiversity to assist with soil health and beneficial insects.
Inter-row cover crops were trialled in areas of open canopy. It was found that mulching the ground prior to and after seeding greatly assisted in successful germination and competition with the endemic greasses. Plantings included clover, linseed and lucerne from seeds in winter and pinto peanut from cuttings in summer.
A selection of native rainforest trees was planted along the boundary of a yung macadamia block to improve biodiversity. The trees/shrubs were selected on height (<10m) and flowering during spring/summer to assist with beneficial insects. The trees were planted at 2m spacing to give a continuous hedge effect in the longer term.
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Kuranita grassed waterways

Kuranita Macadamias Pam Woods and Brian Alcorn
Since buying the orchard we have worked to improve the soil and tree health by application of compost, compot teas and minimal use of herbicides. Now we are planting a variety of ground covers to supply biological, nutritional and physical benefits to the soil. Increased soil organic matter, increased soil biology, improved soil structure, nutrient cycling and erosion control are just some of the benefits we expect ot measure and observe. To augment our pest management system the insectary plantings will provide habitat for beneficial insects.'
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Bugden young pecan trees

Wilson River Pecans - Debbie and Geoff Bugden
Our goal is to obtain optimum soil pH, biology and healthy mineralised soils. We wish to do this without the use of chemical fertilizers. In a number of other blocks we planted (inter-row) green manure crops consisting of Soya Beans, Sorghum, Red Clover, White Clover, Haifa` Clover along with three different types of brassica (turnips). We used this mix for a complete result of nitrogen fixation, deep rooted plants and high cellulose producing plants for fungal food. The object of this project was to produce a “root friendly zone” in the middle of the rows between the pecan nut trees. This zone is kept sacred for the roots of the trees; the ‘Root Friendly Zone’.
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