Why It Matters
The Challenge
Landscape rehydration is a key priority in agricultural areas around Australia. Dehydrated landscapes have been negatively affected by:
Soil erosion
Compaction
Loss of organic matter
Draining of wetlands
Continuing degradation of stream, riparian and adjacent floodplains, as well as slope erosion and land clearing has affected the resilience of our catchments and had devastating consequences on agricultural landscapes, biodiversity, water and soil quality.
Across landscapes, this has resulted in:
Reduction in biodiversity
Reduction in water and soil quality and quantity
Decreased resilience of landscapes during climatic changes
Reduction in productivity of agricultural landscapes
Reduced drought resilience and increased susceptibility to fires
Reduction in natural fertility
Diminishing resistance to weed invasion