Get reliable science

The present "Year" and "Decade of Land Care" are focussing attention on Australia's degraded lands and efforts to reclaim damaged areas. Where a knowledge of events leading to degradation exists, and where activities are centred on inherently fertile parts of the landscape, reclamation efforts can be permanent, productive and show a long -term economic return. The impetus to successful reclamation should be more than immediate damage limitation. For example, in central Australia, ponding banks will arrest gully erosion. However, the greatly increased supply of nutritious forage behind correctly designed banks allows the turnoff of higher quality cattle. Other benefits include increased access to markets and insulation against adverse seasons. This scenario is illustrated with the Aldardrama Plain on Atartinga.