Third La Nina Predicted

Published 9th September 2022. Written by Maddison O’Brien

With La Nina forecast to stick around for the rest of the year, we can all look forward to a wet Summer! After the series of floods that eastern and northern Australia has experienced already, it’s disquieting to think about our creeks, roads and soils being vulnerable to even more erosion in 2023. As custodians, there are actions we can do to protect the productivity of the land where we farm and live. ‘Regenerative Agriculture’ offers tools to make better choices in caring for land and a community of people restoring their landscapes.

No one wants to see our local waterways devastated or their driveway washed out. These erosion episodes come at a high cost to families and communities, not to mention the stress and health impacts! We must do what we can to help build a robust ecosystem and protect against future climatic events. Watershed Landcare has partnered with ACEN Australia to create the REGENERATE workshop series, which aims to give you insights on how to improve the soil fertility and overall resilience of your farm/home. The series will help you to read the landscape by understanding water movement, soil functions, biodiversity and innovations in regenerative farming.

It’s clear that erosion is accelerated in times of flood, but the disappearance of our topsoil is also due to compounding factors that are all closely linked. Loss of vegetation and ground cover leaves soil exposed to the forces of nature, while dryland salinity can spread with changes in groundwater and land clearing. Keeping soils covered with growing plants and slowing down water flow is key to rebuilding soil. One critical thing we can do to reduce the risk of erosion is revegetating our landscapes and prioritising planting before times of drought.

The Cudgegong river is home to the Platypus, which is impacted by severe flooding. By protecting our banks from erosion, we are also creating habitat for animals.

Suppose we can understand the interactions between the ecological systems at play and learn from farmers with real experience restoring their land after a crisis. In that case, perhaps, we can prevent future devastation. The REGENERATE series will bring the likes of Dr Charles Massey, Col Seis, Stuart Andrews and many other knowledge holders together to share what they know and help create a future we can be proud to hold as our legacy.

Caring for the land is complex, and Watershed Landcare is here to help with advice and opportunities to create healthy landscapes and healthy communities. We hope to see you at one of the REGENERATE events. You can find more information at watershedlandcare.com.au/events. While you’re there, check out our Landcare nursery online store and get planting for Spring!