The Vital Soils Project

A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.  

 Franklin D. Roosevelt

Vital Soils produce vital food, vital people and vital communities. The Vital Soils Project is a collaboration of local government, private enterprise and a regional NRM group committed to avoiding waste, improving the economic and environmental sustainability of farming communities and improving environmental health in the region. The initiative provides a means to 'close the loop' on key nutrient resources and convert 'waste' to a high value input for local agriculture. This will provide multiple economic, environmental and social benefits to our region. We are working with Local Council to deliver a "soil health restoration system" rather than just a "waste management system".

The project is now underway with our partners, the Tablelands Regional Council, and the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group. We are now providing the local community with an alternative, viable, means to return vitality to our soils. At the Mareeba Waste Mangement Facility we will take council and agricultural organic waste and convert this to biologically and nutrient rich King Brown compost. King Brown compost is now being used in local agriculture as a high quality soil amendment. Thus we return valuable nutrients to agriculture, ‘closing the loop’ on these resources. The many and varied benefits of this form of nutrient cycling will be demonstrated over a two-year trial period.

Northern Gulf Resource Management Group are liaising with farmers, providing education and guidance in the use and application of King Brown compost. For further information and pre-orders please contact Kristjan Sorsensen (07) 4092 1088 or 0427 000 774 or email kristjan@kingbrowntech.com.au.

The Vital Soils Project is supported by the following organisations and individuals:

            Northern gulf Resource Management Group

            Tablelands Regional Council

            Organic Federation of Australia

            Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

            Zero Waste Australia

            Barron River Catchment Management Authority

            Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils

            Cassowary Coast Regional Council

            Hinchinbrook Shire Council

            Kuranda Envirocare

            Advance Cairns

            Cairns and Far North Environment Centre

            Permaculture Research Institute

            Australia Felix Permaculture

            Costa of Costa's Gardening Odessy SBS

            Senator the Hon Jan McLucus

            Desley Boyle MP

            Jason O'Brien MP

            Shane Knuth MP

            Steve Wettenhall MP

            Savina Farms

            Wetherby Station

            Alan and Margaret McKenzie

            Fusion Farms

            Professor Michael Bird, (Federation Fellow and JCU Distinguished Professor)