The thin layer of soil which covers the land links together a wide range of man's activities, and is fundamental to most of our life on earth. From the earliest days, Australian farmers have been plagued by soil problems such as mineral deficiences, salinity and erosion.

For nearly 70 years the CSIRO Division of Soils helped pioneer a scientific attitude to tackling the problems of Australian soils. The Division adopted a multi-disciplinary approach: soil chemists, soil biologists, entomologists, surveyors and geologists together form a team of specialists who, in collaboration with state departments of agriculture and universities, helped man to gain a better understanding of the soil and to live in harmony with it.

Science can solve most soil problems, but more than scientific knowledge is required to resolve the conflict caused by competing demands for land use.

23 minutes