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Indicator: LD-38 Regions with investments having a major focus on salinity

Data

Remedial actions to combat salinity are underway in most areas that are at risk of high salinity, with the exception of a significant part of south western Western Australia and northern Queensland.

• Salinity Chapter 2004 (PDF - 2.2 KB) 

What the data mean

The map can be compared with the data in the Australian Dryland Salinity Assessment 2000( see LD-06 Area and proportion of land affected by dryland salinity and acidity ) to show that actions are underway in most areas that are at risk of high salinity, with the exception of a significant part of south western Western Australia and northern Queensland.

Data Limitations

The data relate to actions which are characterised as having a primary focus on salinity. Actions that address salinity but which are characterised as having other primary purposes (eg revegetation) will not show in this analysis.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Land — Societal responses - Responses to salinity 

The actions intended to address salinity include a range of practices, including revegetation, conservation of existing vegetation, de-stocking and changes to cropping regimes. Ultimately, comparing the area where major investment is being undertaken with the area currently thought to be at risk where salinity fails to progress will be indicative of the effectiveness of the societal response.

Land — Societal responses - Responses to vegetation loss, carbon loss, species loss and species change 

Land degradation is rarely caused by only one human pressure and can therefore only be effectively addressed by targeting a range of pressures simultaneously.

Dryland salinity may be moderated by responses, such as revegetation, that are in fact intended to address other land degradation problems such as soil loss or habitat loss.

Other indicators for this issue:

• LD-27 Area and proportion of agricultural land under various aspects of "best practice" 
• LD-28 Percentage and area of farms with planted trees 
• LD-29 Area and proportion of forest under "best practice" 
• LD-30 National area under plantation forestry 
• LD-31 Success of programs to reduce carbon loss and increase carbon sequestration 
• BD-06 Measures taken to conserve species or ecological communities on land that is not part of the national reserve system 
• BD-17 Institutional response to loss of native vegetation 

Biodiversity — Landscapes - Community action on landscape protection 

Community action to protect land that is not part of the national reserve system can contribute significantly to efforts to slow the rate of dryland salinisation.

Other indicators for this issue:

• BD-06 Measures taken to conserve species or ecological communities on land that is not part of the national reserve system 
• IW-36 Willow removal 

Biodiversity — Landscapes - Government action on landscape protection 

Efforts to slow the rate of dryland salinisation are being tackled by major intergovernmental initiatives.

Other indicators for this issue:

• BD-17 Institutional response to loss of native vegetation 
• BD-19 Extent and comprehensiveness of terrestrial protected areas 
• BD-24 Government investments to protect biodiversity for public good purposes 
• NCH-01 Process of listing, area and distribution of identified natural heritage places 
• NCH-05 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of natural heritage places 
• NCH-09 Funding provided to heritage and other agencies for natural heritage places 
• NCH-13 Changes in heritage legislation 
• CO-34 Number and extent of Marine Protected Areas 
• LD-27 Area and proportion of agricultural land under various aspects of "best practice" 
• LD-28 Percentage and area of farms with planted trees 
• LD-29 Area and proportion of forest under "best practice" 
• LD-30 National area under plantation forestry 
• AAT-13 Number and area of protected areas