Tree planting to control salinity

Secondary dryland salinity is partly a result of large-scale clearing of native vegetation from the landscape, allowing an increased amount of rainfall to permeate through the soil (recharge), causing rising watertables.

In the Murray–Darling Basin, dryland salinity worsened in the latter half of the 20th century as the increased potential recharge due to clearing was superimposed on the long-term wet climatic phase.

This additional water can mobilise and transport salts stored within rocks and soil to other parts of the landscape or streams, as well as causing watertables to rise.

Levels of watertables have risen by 30 metres since the 1880s in parts of south-eastern Australia (WA Dept of Agriculture and Food 2004).

This Primefact covers the following topics:

• Salinity terminology
• Salinity Indicators
• Salinity management
• Use of trees and shrubs to combat salinity
• Natural forest and woodland
• Plantings in recharge areas
• Plantings for increasing discharge from watertables
• Hydrogeological factors
• Plantings in saline or waterlogged areas
• Examples of plantings influencing salinity or groundwater
• Choice of tree species
• Establishing trees
• Water use issues