Improving the skills and knowledge of Australia’s soil practitioners forms a key part of the National Soil Strategy. To that end Soil Science Australia has developed the Registered Soil Practitioner (RSP) (Registered Soil Practitioner - Home - Soil Science Australia) accreditation program and associated Soil Management training.
The Hub recently supported the first iteration of the Soil Management field training conducted in Queensland at Hermitage Research Facility near Warwick. Of note this was also the first training session across Australia with a full panel of 16 participants. The training was facilitated by several Certified Professional Soil Scientist’s, Registered Soil Practitioner’s and experienced soil scientists.
The field training is a crucial component of the Soil Management course. Most of the course is delivered online covering basic soil science knowledge, soil sampling techniques and design of sampling strategies as well as interpretation of soil test results. The field training provides participants with the opportunity to get their ‘hands dirty’ through practical activities that enhance the theoretical knowledge.
The training involved developing some of the many skills required of a soil practitioner including applying soil field tests, learning to understand the landscape and soil formation processes, describing soils using the Australian Soil Classification, understanding the management implications resulting from soil characteristics as well as how to collect a soil sample and prepare it for laboratory analysis.
The Hub’s Regional Soil Coordinator and Registered Soil Practitioner, Cameron Leckie, was impressed with the dedication of the participants. “It rained all night the day prior to the training and all of the first day. Despite the ordinary weather conditions, the participants enthusiasm to develop their soil skills and knowledge was unabated. From a soil scientists’ perspective, the landscape at Hermitage is very interesting with multiple rock types leading to several very different soils over short distances.”
Participant Rachel Cavallo from the Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG), thoroughly enjoyed the training:
“Despite all the weather disturbance, it was such a wonderfully educational and well-planned training event. Thank you for all the guidance and support throughout the two days. I am greatly appreciative for the experience and can’t wait to see this program develop further in the future, continuing to be a wonderful course to educate future soil scientists!”
Completion of the Soil Management training, in conjunction with practical experience is one pathway to accreditation as a Registered Soil Practitioner. Soil professionals with at least three years practical experience can also apply directly for accreditation.
A list of current Registered Soil Practitioners can be found here: Find a Registered Soil Practitioner - Soil Science Australia