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Home > What is healthy soil?

What is healthy soil?

Soil health refers to the condition of the soil and its potential to sustain biological functioning, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. The resistance of a soil refers to its capacity to retain function during stress or disturbance, whilst its resilience refers to how quickly it recovers after stress or disturbance.

Humus rich soil provides nutrients for soil biota and plant growth. Photo courtesy of AusVeg

Source: AUSVEG Ute Guide 2007

A healthy soil is one that is productive and easy to manage under the intended land use. It has physical, chemical and biological properties that promote the health of plants, animals and humans while also maintaining environmental quality.

This section provides information on the characteristics or attributes of a soil that are needed for it to function effectively. Understanding the interactions between soil properties and management will ensure the adoption of approriate farm practices to improve and maintain the health of our soils.