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Sodicity Impact on Site Quality for Red Mahogany Plantations - North Queensland

Sodicity Impact on Site Quality for Red Mahogany Plantations - North Queensland

Specifications

  • Client: Elders Forestry
  • Scope:

    Evaluation of the likely effects of sodicity throughout the profile including

    • soil profile sampling and characterisation
    • assessment of site productivity
    • correlation of site productivity with soil factors
    • other significant site factors influencing plantation productivity
    • development of a site condition by productivity matrix to augment the existing site class matrix
  • Challenge:

    Plantation established on coastal lands had performed poorly, providing poor investor returns. An improved understanding of the site factors impacting productivity was required to better inform management of existing plantations, and site assessment and evaluation criteria for selection of new plantation lands.

  • Solution:

    Verterra developed an approach to rapidly assess established plantations and quantitatively related performance to readily assessed soil characteristics. Based on this assessment Verterra was able to develop a procedure that could be easily implemented by the client's staff to assess land capability and estimate productivity, providing significatly greater certainty in land selection.

  • Benefit to Client:

    This project provided the client with a significantly improved understanding of the impact of soil type within its estate on forest productivity, and delivered a simple protocol for rapid field assessment of sodic soils.  This in-turn assisted the client with decisions on both retaining existing sites in its portfolio, and selection of future sites.  This improved knowledge helped the client to deliver improved outcomes for its investors.

  • Market Sector: Renewable resources - agriculture, grazing and forestry
  • Capabilities:
    • Forest and fodder crops
    • Soil surveying and land capability assessment
    • General land, water and vegetation technical services
  • Location: Queensland
  • Year: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006