Soil Conservation in Alpine Catchments
Extract from the Journal ofthe Soil Conservation Service of N.S. W., Volume 24, Number 2, April, 1968 SOIL CONSERVATION IN ALPINE CATCHMENTS BY D. P. CLOTHIER, H.D.A., SoiL CoNSERVATIONIST, CooMA AND R. W. CoNDON, B.Sc.AoR., SPECIAL SoiL CoNSERVATIONIST, SYDNEY G26535-1 SOIL CONSERVATION IN ALPINE CATCHMENTS BY D. P. CLOTHIER, H.D.A., Soil Conservationist, Cooma, and R. W. CoNDON, B.Sc.Agr., Special Soil Conservationist, Sydney HE stabilization of erosion in the highest reasonable condition as the inter-tussock T areas of the Australian Alps presents spaces have been occupied by herbaceous many problems not encountered in more ~pecies or covered with snowgrass foliage. favourable locations. Climatic conditions are Areas mapped as suffering from moder such that all treated areas need to be covered ate sheet erosion are generally similar in with straw mulch and tied down with net nature to those affected by minor sheet ero ting. This requires that some 4-5 tons of sion, but erosion has proceeded to the stage materials have to be taken to the site for where bare spaces have been enlarged, the each acre to be treated. In an area inacces intervening tussocks have died out ( Dur sible to normal wheeled vehicles, transport ham, 1959), exposing frequent bare erod of these materials and provisioning of the ing patches up to 1-2 chains in diameter, work force becomes a major problem. from which 1-6 inches of soil have been The Australian Alps which include the lost. The larger areas (more than 5 yards headwaters of the Snowy, Murray, and in diameter) need treatment to stabilize.
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