Digging Deeper into Soil Health
Gwymac Landcare’s Mastering Soil Health Group won a World Soil Day competition, leading to on-farm soil coring and comprehensive soil testing that helped landholders better understand what was happening beneath the surface of their paddocks.
Capacity building - LEP23-024-06
The issue
Members of Gwymac Landcare’s Mastering Soil Health Group wanted a deeper understanding of what was happening below the soil surface on their farms. While visual observations and standard soil tests provided useful information, members wanted to better understand soil structure, compaction, root depth, moisture movement, organic matter and biological function through the full soil profile. Many landholders recognised that decisions about grazing, cropping and soil amendments were often made without seeing what was actually occurring beneath the topsoil, limiting confidence in management decisions.
The solution
After winning a World Soil Day competition, four Mastering Soil Health Group members hosted a visit from Cameron Leckie from the SQNNSW Drought Hub to undertake professional soil coring on their properties. Deep soil cores were extracted from representative paddocks, allowing participants to physically observe soil layers, root penetration, colour changes, compaction zones and moisture distribution through the profile. Members discussed how past management practices may have influenced soil condition and compared differences between sites. The cores were then sent away for comprehensive laboratory testing and analysis to provide a detailed understanding of each soil system.
The impact
The experience transformed soil from something largely hidden to something visible and practical for participants. Seeing the full soil profile firsthand gave members valuable insight into root growth, biological activity, water infiltration and physical limitations within their paddocks. Participants gained greater confidence linking what they observed above ground with conditions below the surface. The upcoming laboratory results will further guide decisions around soil amendments, grazing management and long-term productivity. Importantly, the process strengthened peer to peer learning and sparked wider interest among group members in understanding their own soils.
Learnings
One of the strongest learnings was the value of physically seeing the soil profile rather than relying only on assumptions or surface observations. Participants learned that soils can vary significantly within relatively small areas and that management history often leaves visible signs underground. Members also recognised the importance of combining practical observation with scientific analysis to inform better decisions. The hands-on nature of the coring process worked particularly well, creating discussion and shared learning. Interest is now growing in expanding soil profiling opportunities across the broader group.
Key facts
- Deep soil cores allowed members to view the full soil profile
- Members observed compaction, root growth, moisture and soil structure firsthand
- Soil cores were sent for comprehensive laboratory testing and analysis
- The activity strengthened learning and practical soil knowledge