Maintained deep-rooted perennial trees and shrubs

Impact

Deep-rooted perennial trees and woody shrubs play an important role in maintaining soil structural stability and groundwater levels.

Suggested indicator: Deep-rooted perennials⁺

Maintaining deep-rooted perennial trees and shrubs may be associated with:

Potential associated impacts	Suggested indicators+
Maintained vegetation condition	Native vegetation area Vegetation density Impacts on native vegetation Ground cover Shrub cover Tree canopy cover & health Weed cover Organic litter Native plant richness  Weed species Pasture species
Potential for decreased weed invasion	Weed species Weed cover
Maintained quality and quantity of soil organic matter	Soil life
Potential for soil nutrient retention	Soil chemistry
Reduced potential for soil erosion	Hillslope erosion Gully erosion Wind erosion
Maintained watertable maintaining the watertable at depth may reduce risk of soil salinity/sodicity	Depth to groundwater

⁺ Descriptions of indicators (PDF, 76K)* provides a brief description of each indicator including techniques and purpose.

* Requires Adobe Reader

Last updated 7 September 2010

Land Manager's Monitoring Guide

• Monitoring overview
• Selecting indicators
• - Enterprise or production systems
• - Land practices
• - Management activity
• - Impact
• Indicators