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- A standard classification of land use and a land use map of Tasmania has been finalised in 2003 as part of the National Land and Water Resources Audit.
- Soil management guidelines have been prepared (Hamlett 2002), which complement a number of DPIWE technical documents on land management, including Managing Tasmania's Cropping Soils (Chilvers 1996).
- In forestry areas the main soil types have been defined; new guidelines are being trailed which require increased soil protection next to headwater streams.
- Base mapping has improved through the update of a 1995 Karst Atlas for the State in 2002, and with development of a Coastal Geomorphic Types database. A major project on classification of Tasmanian fluvial landform systems has been in progress.
- The Tasmanian Salinity Audit was undertaken, and DPIWE has commenced the development of a Tasmanian Salinity Strategy due for completion in 2003.
- Research has been undertaken at the University of Tasmania and the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry into the causes of rural tree decline.
- A significant amount of work has been undertaken by landowners and managers to re-establish trees in affected areas, supported by national programs such as Landcare and One Billion Trees.
- The National Heritage Trust 'north facing slopes project' has provided over 100 km of fencing materials to fence off 1,890 ha, to encourage improved sheep grazing management on highly erodible north facing slopes. A mulched rip lines erosion control technique has been used in sloping land in north-west Tasmania to protect 400 ha in 2001 and 600 ha in 2002.
- A number of research studies into soil compaction in forest soils have been undertaken at the Warra Long Term Ecological Research site in the Southern Forests.
- An NHT supported project entitled 'Minimising Land Degradation and Salinity Risk using Resource Information' is investigating degradation risks including soil structure decline due to intensified land use at three pilot areas around the State.
- Understanding ofacid sulphate soils in Tasmania has improved since the survey, mapping and report undertaken by Gurung (2001), which was funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and managed through Mineral Resources Tasmania..
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