Households get "less fertiliser" message
South West urban households are heeding the message of holding off on fertilisers in winter, according to a new survey.
The South West Catchments Council survey looked at the fertiliser practices of households in the South West and Perth in line with the Home River Ocean, Save the Crabs, Then Eat Them campaign to reduce fertiliser use in winter and therefore the nutrient run-off in waterways.
SWCC chief executive Damien Postma said the current trend in fertilise-wise behaviours was very positive.
“Our findings show that the vast majority of urban households are applying less than 20kg of fertiliser a year and that 86 per cent is being applied outside the winter months, ” he said.
Mr Postma said urban areas contributed up to 20 per cent of the total nutrient run-off reaching coastal waterways.
The survey found that 95 per cent of residents felt the health of the rivers, wetlands and the bay was important to them and most believed that reducing their fertiliser use would have a positive impact on these waterways.
This campaign is supported by the South West Catchments Council (SWCC), through funding from the Australian Federal and State governments.
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