Soil salinity in SW Australia

Soil salinity in SW Australia

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Colonization’s imprint on world landscapes is substantial. In Australia, British and

European settlers imposed their landscape and agricultural practices as well as

aesthetic preferences in many unsuitable and fragile conditions. In south west

Western Australia, one of the world’s fragile and unique biodiversity hotspots,

existing ‘scrubby’ vegetation was cleared at immense scales for pasture crops (and

European hard-hoofed animals that further damage soil). This has resulted in a

rising water table, creating catastrophic soil salinity and erosion-prone land.

Farmers manage around 70% of the Australian landscape. Farming practices, driven

by consumer trends, hugely impact the island continent. It has been estimated that

for every kilogram of bread produced in Australia, seven kilograms of topsoil are

lost. Decorated Australian Tim Flannery states that:

“The southwest region’s few areas of natural vegetation (90% has been cleared) are threatened by salination,

with no solution in view. Over 850 unique plant species are threatened … Two and a half million hectares of

agricultural land are salt affected, 1.8 million of which are in the south west of Western Australia (WA). A further

10 million hectares are at risk nationally, 6 million of which are in the south west of WA.”

출처 : Landscape Architecture and Environmental Sustainability (2017) - 22page