We really ought to prevent any further loss of fertile land. Want to expand housing? Time to build up, our sprawl and lack of PT connections in the fringes of the "city" is getting out of hand.
Melbourne
This community is a place created for the people of Melbourne and Victoria. We are a positive, welcoming and inclusive community. We might not agree about everything, but we always strive to stay civil and respectful.
The focus of our discussions is based around things that effect Victoria, but we are also free to discuss our local perspective on wider issues. Or head to the regular Daily Random Discussion thread to talk about anything.
Ongoing discussions, FAQs & Resources (still under construction)
Adoption Certificate for Nellie, the Daily Thread numbat (with thanks to @Catfish)
I wrote a blog a while back on erosion with a few references and used this quote, it matches somewhat to what you are saying.
“The most meaningful indicator for the health of the land, and the long-term wealth of a nation, is whether soil is being formed or lost. If soil is being lost, so too is the economic and ecological foundation on which production and conservation are based.”
"Despite all our accomplishments we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains"
Start insisting that all encroachment onto farmland be located near pig farms. That'll put an end to that shit real quick.
That did not work for the Airport, or Calder Park, or even Carrum Downs or Werribee.
The problem is that councils are the ones who benefit financially from urban sprawl. And if the sprawl is on State government roads, they don’t need to pay for improvements.
Also, developers are offering so much money to the farmers who are being priced out by insane rate increases have no choice but to sell their generational homes and farmland.
The duopsony of Coles/Woolworths paying a pittance for produce isn’t very helpful either.
The premium arable land of the south east has been progressively cannibalized for decades, and continues to be all in the face of increased climate risk. Beyond my inclination toward NIMBY complaining and the eradication of what was a small country town community that I, my parents and my great great grandparents grew up in, we're setting ourselves up for significant food security issues.
I get what you're saying, but there's a lot lot lot of farming country between Pakenham and Bairnsdale....
yes and no. we vastly misuse our arable land with outmoded methods and in pursuit of subsidies; with population growing the way it is we already lack vital land