Extending bushland - How to introduce permaculture into a far

[lynne]

I want to grow plants on a farm along permaculture principles as well as enlarging an area of native veg on a farm.

The existing stand of native veg does not like any sort of change in its nutrient load are there plants that can remove nutrients from the soil - my idea is to install swale drians to carry excess water away and run the water through settling ponds however to extend the native veg into paddocks that were farmed in the old traditional methods is difficult due to nutrient load in soil.

Can I plant something useful that will alter the soil structure and enable me to extend teh endemic population. Property is near Shepparton

Thanks for any advice

[Benn]

My feelings about reveg of natives is to source local seed and encourage the natives that grow best in the soil as it is now. Nature will find its own equilibrium. If you try to change the conditions to suit a particular type of native ecosystem you are in for an uphill battle, especially over a large area. My advise would be to aim for very low to no maintenance requirements for native area. You will need all that time and effort to grow food :O
Cheers,
Benn