Land degradation is any change in the land that reduces its existing or potential productivity. It occurs whenever the natural balances in the landscape are changed by human activity, through misuse or overuse. It can also be the result of using land and other resources beyond their capability.
Unfortunately, Australia is greatly under threat by land degradation, which is sadly putting holes in our beautiful environment as well as our pockets. These holes are quite large when it comes to our economy's wallet. Well over $600 million a year is lost in production alone. Major and immediate action needs to be taken to sustain our land. If not done soon, we will lose our crops, farming grounds, forests and more. There are many reasons and causes for the degradation. Some of the problems have occurred due to natural causes while others have been brought about or sped up by human activity.
Half the major forests and about 35% of Australian woodlands have been cleared or severely modified. Soil structure, salinity acidification, soil structure decline and water logging now affect a significant proportion of the land used for agriculture, while much of our cropping land has been pulverised into submission.
Most forms of land degradation are processes accelerated by human activity. For example, it is estimated that soil erosion in some of the important agricultural regions of Australia are up to 50 times the natural rate.
One major problem that has occurred over the years is the development of a blue green algae that formed 1,000km from Mungindi to Wilcannia. This algal bloom was the largest ever recorded on any river in the world. Also, 2 years ago, a popular dam near Brisbane was closed of to the public due to a blue green algal toxin. The Chaffey Dam in northwestern...