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| This comprehensive directory is intended as a reference document for proactive producers who lead (for example) regional Landcare networks and large-scale (possibly State-wide) conservation farming and grazing groups. Such producers influence development of salinity management options, industry research and development programs, and community/government salinity management initiatives. It will also be useful to experienced extension advisors who facilitate liaison between the above groups and State agencies, regional catchment management organisations and community/government salinity management initiatives. |  |
Dryland Salinity and On-Farm Decisions - a Guide for Leading Producers and Their Advisors adds significant value to other salinity management guides by reviewing actual case studies that indicate the amount or level of farm to catchment-scale outcomes that can be expected from applying different combinations of options in different situations.
Importantly, this directory is not intended for the broad producer community. Most NDSP and associated research from 1993 to 2003 has been regional to national in scale, and was aimed primarily at providing the science to underpin government and industry-wide responses to salinity. State agencies and catchment management organisations are collating results of on-farm demonstrations and field experiments addressing salinity in their local area, interpreting them in the light of regional to national scale research, and developing salinity management information for the broad producer community.
Within the limitations of regional to national scale studies undertaken by the NDSP and associated research, this report makes as much progress as possible in providing answers to key farm-scale questions:
- Is salinity likely to be severe enough to justify action?
- If action is justified, is there sufficient knowledge about salinity processes, impacts, and management options to decide on the best approach and preferred management options?
In assisting producers and advisors to obtain answers to these questions, this report guides them through the following decision-making sequence:
- Assessing salinity risk (and the nature of the salinity problem);
- Short-listing possible approaches to managing it;
- Reviewing tactics and management options;
- Considering possible farm to catchment-scale outcomes from implementing the options;
- Deciding on the best approach or approaches; and
- Confirming preferred tactics and options.
A salinity management matrix, based on information from actual case studies, shows how the various factors in decision-making can fit together and the possible outcomes of those decisions. A detailed appendix provides additional information about impacts, priority areas for action, and recommended management options for producers and advisors who may not be covered by the case studies. A further appendix contains a brief summary of the findings of recent reviews of the effectiveness and possible outcomes of engineering options.
Download an electronic version of 
Dryland Salinity and On-Farm Decisions - a Guide for Leading Farmers and their Advisors (pdf - 789KB) (pdf 771Kb)
A printed copy of the Guide and supporting CD-ROM Managing Dryland Salinity in Australia - Key findings, Research Directory and Action Manuals from Australia's National Dryland Salinity Program can be ordered from Land & Water Australia's Online Products Catalogue