Simon Proust joined the NSW SKN in December 2022. We recently caught up with Simon to talk about his experiences working with landholders and communities for improved soil management.
Can you tell us a bit about you and your background in soil?
I joined the Soil Conservation Service in 1985 and for the next ten years or so I worked with farmers across broadacre, grazing and peri urban landscapes in arresting soil erosion and improving groundcover and reducing soil loss on their farms. I then worked in property management planning, NRM investment, sustainable agriculture with various NRM agencies. My last position was Sustainability Manager with TAFE where I reduced the North Coast TAFE’s carbon footprint, through awareness campaigns and improved measurement of waste, electricity, water and gas.
I came full circle eight years ago working as a consultant soil conservationist with Landcare engaging with blueberry farmers on the Coffs Coast. The vast majority of our blueberry growers are Sikhs, who have a rich history of farming in Punjab state in northern India, which has deep fertile soils on a relatively flat landscapes with snow caped Himalayas as a backdrop. This presented an engagement challenge because the steep hills around Coffs Harbour could not be more of a contrast.
How did your interest in soil and extension begin?
I grew up in Canberra and my family purchased a large bush block in the Snowy Mountains in the 1970s. The property had very light and poorly structured Tenosol soils. They were either hard as rock when dry or very boggy when wet, once you broke the A horizon. This experience got me thinking about soils.
Why did you decide to join the SKN and what are you hoping to get out of it?
The SKN is an opportunity to work with some very credible soils experts in extending the sustainable soils message to farmers and land managers. With the reduction in government extension services, the SKN has filled an important gap in sharing access to resources, knowledge and skills in soil management practices. Importantly I think SKN. brings together a wealth of soils practitioners, soil scientists and conservationists from a range of backgrounds who can engage with farmers, fellow soil practitioners and consultants from industry.
What are your top tips for people wanting to work in community engagement?
The more you know about the audience – the better.
Collaborate. I always encourage a collaboration with farmers and land managers for a better chance of achieving lasting practice change.
Consider the farmers perspective which is to make a living off the land then your chances meaningful engagement is enhanced.
Finally, I think it’s important that you know about the farmers industry you’re working with. This will help you better understand the decision making by farmers, as sometimes they may be contrary to what you are trying to achieve.
What would you like to see changed or addressed to encourage new soil specialists?
Get out there and listen to what the farmers and land managers have to say. Working with farmers is very rewarding in achieving land management and community capacity outcomes. Observe what they have been doing, build trust and collaborate with others when implementing your research, on-ground or extension project.