The project aims to cultivate sustainable futures and build long-term drought resilience through grower group-led educational initiatives in Kojonup and surrounding localities. The project focuses on revegetation, specifically the use of deep-rooted, salt-tolerant species, to stabilize freshwater resources, reduce soil degradation, and maintain productivity. Native vegetation provides habitat for wildlife, filters water, and helps maintain erosion and salinity.

Southern Dirt is proud to share the success of our Saltbush Planting Project: Cultivating sustainable futures; building long-term drought resilience through grower group led educational initiatives, a community-led initiative tackling one of our region’s biggest environmental challenges: Salinity.

Backed by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) and the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the project brought together farmers, students, educators, indigenous rangers, and volunteers across Kojonup, Boyup Brook, Broomehill, and Tambellup. Together, they turned degraded land into an outdoor classroom, using one of nature’s toughest plants — Old Man Saltbush.

Learning in the Field:

Over 170 students from four local schools – Boyup Brook District High, Broomehill Primary, Kojonup District High, and Tambellup Primary, swapped desks for gumboots to explore:

1. How salinity affects farmland.

2. The role of soil and water in healthy ecosystems.

3. How native plants restore landscapes.

4. Hands-on revegetation and Landcare skills.

Southern Dirt held educational workshops at each school, educating the kids about the water cycle, soil health, landscape function and how salinity happens, we explored sustainable farming methods that can, not only grow food but also can help heal damaged farmland, we then, with hands on experiments, demonstrated how different soil types and vegetation affect how soil and water interact.

Each school was partnered with a local grower, giving students the chance to work alongside farmers and get their hands dirty to plant saltbush on saline degraded farmland. Both children and adults alike had a wonderful time at the planting days there was lots of muddy boots, laughter, and plenty of curious questions.

Community in Action:

This wasn’t just about schools. Farmers, educators, Indigenous rangers, local shires, and volunteers joined forces at community planting days, sparking conversations about drought resilience, water management, and land regeneration.

Special thanks to the Wagyl Kaip Noongar Kojonup Rangers for sharing their time and knowledge, and to Lucinda’s Everlastings for donating seeds that became wildflower “seed bombs” for students to take home.

Saltbush: Nature’s Problem Solver:

Across six salt-affected sites in Muradup, Boyup Brook, and Tambellup, more than 6,000 Old Man Saltbush plants were established. Chosen from locally adapted cultivars, this hardy species is already helping to:

– Reclaim degraded land.

– Lower saline groundwater tables.

– Improve soil moisture and infiltration.

– Provide nutritious summer fodder for livestock.

Some host farmers also trialed alley plantings of salt-tolerant pastures, boosting biodiversity and offering stock a more balanced diet. Careful site preparation using ripper mounders to raise seedlings above saline layers, set the project up for long-term success.

The Results:

Our host farmers are now planning further revegetation with saltbush, saline-tolerant trees, and pastures.

Students and community members showed a big lift in awareness of salinity and sustainable farming. Many of the children who participated in the project are our future farmers and agronomists, the project-built awareness about landscape function and agriculture’s role in looking after our natural resources.

Schools are eager to keep working with growers, giving kids real-world experiences in agriculture. Surveys showed a shift in attitudes, sparking long-term interest in Landcare and drought resilience.

Why Salinity Matters Now:

Salinity isn’t a distant threat — it’s already costing farmers valuable paddocks, water quality, and productivity every year and the problem is growing. But projects like this prove there’s a way forward. With strategic revegetation, smart water management, and regenerative practices, farmers can:

– Convert degraded land into a valuable part of your farming system

– Improve soil health and resilience.

– Boost biodiversity and drought preparedness.

– Protect long-term profitability.

How to Reduce Salinity:

If you’re facing salinity challenges:

1. Identify your saline areas and look for spots where saltbush or saline tolerant species will thrive.

2. Fence off fragile zones like creek lines to allow natural regeneration.

3. Look at what’s happening higher in the profile, water logging starts when deep rooted plants are taken away higher in the profile, revegetation of hilltop ridges utilises water high in the profile and improves infiltration of water deeper into the water table and therefore reduces water logging in the lower areas.

4. Connect with your local grower group — Southern Dirt can support you with planning and on-ground advice.

Try the Saltland Genie App (DPIRD) for tailored property management strategies: www.saltlandgenie.com (link: https://www.saltlandgenie.com/)

Together, we can turn salty ground into sustainable country — one paddock at a time.

Looking Ahead:

Thanks to the support of FRRR and the Future Drought Fund, the Saltbush Project has shown what’s possible when education, community, and Landcare work hand in hand.

It’s more than planting shrubs — it’s a blueprint for resilience, knowledge-sharing, and a healthier future for our land and people.