23-11-2001

The capacity and scope of salinity research undertaken by the National Dryland Salinity Program's 2001 WE Wood Award winner, Dr Glen Walker, is indicative of his commitment to enhancing our understanding of salinity in the Australian landscape.

As principal senior research scientist with CSIRO Land and Water, the depth of Dr Walker's recent research will be of long lasting value - particularly at a national policy level and in the development of innovative management options for dryland salinity.

Dr Walker jointly published over 30 reports in national and international journals between 1995 and 2000. Since 1987, he has written or co-written over 75 scientific reports and publications of national and international standing.

His collective work with CSIRO Land and Water and the Co-operative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology has enabled regional analysis of land use options. With the Bureau of Resource Sciences, he has developed the conceptual model and application of a national catchment classification for groundwater flow systems.

These important tools use available field data to analyse the impacts of land use at a scale appropriate for large catchments, regions and basins. This work also forms an integral component of the recently completed salinity report for the National Land and Water Resource Audit.

Dr Walker's work further underpins the current view that for many areas of southern Australia, significant recharge reduction will not occur under current land use practices. It also indicates that the area for salt-affected land will continue to grow irrespective of land use change designed to reduce groundwater recharge.

This broader view of the processes of land salinisation has significantly influenced recent directions for new research and development and for the scale and scope of changed land management in catchments required to address salinity issues.

Managing saline land is another of Dr Walker's fields of expertise. He has developed methods and information for estimating salt accumulation impacts of vegetation in shallow ground water areas, (such as plantations in irrigation areas of the Riverine Plain, ecosystems in saline areas and saltland pastures,) which constrain the development of robust agricultural and environmental systems in these areas.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Please contact Land & Water Australia
Email: land&wateraustralia@lwa.gov.au
Phone: 02 6263 6000