SALINITY

The greatest environmental threat facing Western Australia is the broadscale salinisation of agricultural areas.

Over 1.8 million ha of our landscape is already affected by salinity and this figure is increasing. Salinity not only causes land degradation but also adds to the greenhouse effect. Revegetation of affected areas can reverse the decline and add to the carbon credits.

It was identified that some three million ha of deep-rooted perennial tree species would need to be planted to combat the salinity problem. This option would come at great expense to the community however, so the FPC advised that an increase in commercial crop planting was a better alternative it would cost less and it would prove profitable for land owners.

In 2002 the Government established a dedicated Salinity Taskforce.

A dedicated FPC research program, has since identified a number of tree and shrub species that have the ability to withstand defined salt levels.

Partnering with BP

The FPC has been working independently, and in partnership with BP, to establish Maritime Pine and other species on farmland in the Katanning and Mt Barker regions of WA. These areas have been suffering with salinity as a result of rising groundwater tables. The BP project is believed to be the first tree planting program in Australia with the twin goals of correcting land degradation and offsetting carbon emissions.