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The NSW Soil Knowledge Network (SKN) is a small group of 'science citizens’ who encourage sustainable soil management. Being the earth, atmosphere and biological interface soils are the key natural resource. Each group member has peer recognised strengths in combinations of soil research, soil mapping, property planning or soil extension.

SKN Outputs include:

• A series of videos on soil management, reading profiles, iconic soils and soil factors e.g. sodicity, salinity.
• Local workshops for landholders associated with Local Land Services and farmer groups.
• ’Train the Trainer’ workshops for agribusiness and State Government employees in soil science and application to land management.
• Group presentations and demonstrations at field days and education institutions.

SKN is akin to a Landcare group. SKN focuses on one natural resource management theme over a large area (NSW), rather than focussing on several issues over a specific area. A key requirement for efficient and sustainable soil management is that local soil characteristics must be taken into account i.e. it is easier to be working with the land, rather than across or against it. Here SKN can draw on soil science and soil mapping to help tailor land management towards local conditions. SKN feels its workshops and learning experiences could be useful for Landcare groups and coordinators.

SKN workshop methods feature:

• Asking farmers what they want to know about soils in their local area. This is then applied to practical and economic on-ground management practices to help improve soil health.
• Delivery of clear soil health messages to match land management to land capabilities.
• Adapting presentations to landholder knowledge, skills and situations.
• Translating technical soils information to practical and economic onâ€ground management practices.
• Building audience confidence and trust.
• Ability to address and answer group and individual questions.
• Encouraging discussion of farmer-led innovations.
• Provision of practical notes on soil physical, chemical and biological factors.
• Notes on how to access and use soil maps on the internet.

Survey feedback at our last six workshops has included 50% of presentations scoring 10 out of ten, with no score less than 7. Popular features include: use of soil pits; hands-on basic soil testing; analysis of individual attendee's samples; availability of expert opinion and explanatory notes. Requests for further workshops about problem local soils have prompted this paper.

Principles recognised and addressed by SKN which has added to their workshop success are:

• Adoption is a socio-cultural process. Profit may not be the main driver.
• Agricultural issues are not always technical.
• Effective extension includes understanding situations, capacities, attitudes and opinions.
• We seek dialogue, asking landholders what they want to learn and ensuring those issues are addressed. Recognising farmers use multiple lines of evidence before changing land management. This includes pre-existing knowledge, investigations and discussions with farmers on the same soils.
• Recognising the best extension method uses multiple techniques. We combine theory, hands-on soil testing and soil pits.

Conclusions

SKN is providing successful workshops which appear to satisfy demand. Adoption of this extension concept would be applicable to other natural resource management themes addressed by Landcare.