Facing the Earth's Challenge Head On: Combatting Soil Erosion

Access road tapered toward swale drain, with water catchment in dam nearby. Cattle will impact this area, once the grass seed sown creates a solid mat of turf, preventing erosion and securing viability of the swale drain.

Every grain of soil beneath our feet is a miniature fortress against the perils of erosion. As caretakers of this Earth, it's our mission to stand united in safeguarding our planet's precious skin. Yes, soil erosion poses a daunting threat to our agricultural vitality and the integrity of our construction efforts, but together, here at GCE Earthworks, we rise to the challenge. We can, and do, make a difference.

The Unseen Hero Beneath Our Feet

Picture the vast stretches of agricultural land, the paddocks that feed the nation, the construction sites that become our homes and workplaces--they all share a common foundation: the soil. Yet, this silent supporter can slip away before our eyes, carried off by wind and water. This isn't just soil we're losing; it's the bedrock of our future.

Personal Anecdotes: A Connection to the Land

I recall, when I was younger, I couldn’t wait to get out bush. Exploring those wild, tree covered areas around Sydney, still relatively unspoilt to the human hand. I felt a connection there, an alliance with the land, thankful that there was still wilderness to explore and grateful for the variety of wildlife and giant trees that inhabited it, not yet aware that the rich soils in that area attributed to that. I later learned when growing my own vege garden just how important that network of fungi, nutrients and ‘plain old dirt’, creates an amazing microcosm of soil, which with some sunlight and water, can produce so many edible goodies! Soil health, I found, is a war won with patience and respect for nature.

Steps to Turn the Tide: Strategies for Victory

Embrace the Cover

Cover crops are nature's protective blanket. When you plant them, you're not just sowing seeds; you're fortifying the soil against the onslaught of erosion. These guardians keep the soil in place, enrich it, and champion biodiversity. Make them your ally. Of course, if you don’t plant anything, nature will provide, only it may provide with weeds (plants in the wrong place) that you DON’T want! But even weeds are better than bare dirt, which will blow or wash away to whichever weather comes first.

All of the excavation works that GCE Earthworks complete, are carried out to minimise disturbance to the land, with measures to slow down weather damage, as well as advice on how to cover/maximise cover on those exposed areas in as speedy a way as possible. Sometimes this is to seed that area promptly, othertimes to execute mulching or water traps to maximise water holding capacity.

Contour Crafting

Paddocks and construction sites can also become sculpted artworks designed to outsmart erosion.

The strategy? Contours. Shape the land in harmony with its natural curves, disrupting the path of water, dividing and conquering. This can be achieved with utilising your cattle in certain ways, or creating roads, berms and swale drains with machinery.

It’s a time-tested tactic that stands as a testament to human ingenuity. Swale drains and berms help to direct the water to where you want, whether that’s to your dam, water holes or slow seepage for your vege garden or food forest.

It also works the other way to keep water away from driveways, house/shed sites and prevent further erosion to already vulnerable areas of erosion you may have.

Retaining Walls: The Ramparts of Soil

On construction sites, retaining walls are more than mere boundaries; they are bulwarks against the siege of soil erosion. By anchoring these structures, we protect what we build from the relentless pull of gravity and marching elements. This also stops water pressure ingress further down the line when the construction has settled down and landscaping may have commenced.

Mulching Magic

Let's also not forget the magic of mulch. This layer of defense is a multitasker: it shields the soil, locks in moisture, and breaks down to add nutrients. Seeing the rich, dark soil brimming with life affirms that this is more than a method—it's a tribute to the circle of life.

This proves useful in the garden as well as in the paddock, slowing water down to sink in, rather than run off and be wasted into the nearby drains or culverts, whilst also protecting any plants/trees from drying out when the sun is baking any bare earth to a crisp. Here at GCE Earthworks, we have a forestry mulcher, as well as a grass mulcher, so that even trees can be utilised as moisture retaining mulch for those bare-earth areas that need protection.

Water Wisdom

Mindfulness in water management can turn the tides. Contour farming, terracing, rain gardens, and buffer strips are more than just terms—they are tools in our arsenal to slow down water, giving it purpose and direction without letting it whisk our precious soil away. And in rural Australia, this is a priority we have to embrace. Every drop of clean water is precious, and saving it in dams, water holes and especially our soil is extremely important. Dams are our friends, and so it pays to keep them clean and productive, so no growing trees in the banks to “pretty them up” unless you want to lose water to leaks where the roots break through, and they do, believe me!

We Are the Saviors of Our Soil

Remember, what we stand upon today, we must pass on as a legacy of fertility and strength for the generations to come. Our actions are the ripples that will swell into waves of sustainability and resilience.

So I ask you: What will you do today, to ensure that the soil—and our connection to this Earth—remains steadfast for tomorrow?

The time is now. Let your property be one of inspiration, your actions a beacon of hope. For in the fight against soil erosion, every effort counts, and together, we can secure a much more fertile future.