Walter Jehne Interview

Walter Jehne is an internationally known Australian soil microbiologist, climate scientist, and founder of Healthy Soils Australia. He is passionate about educating farmers, policymakers, and others about “the soil carbon sponge” and its crucial role in reversing and mitigating climate change.

His work shows how we can safely cool the climate by repairing our disrupted hydrological cycles—returning excess carbon in the atmosphere to the soil, where it belongs. In 2017, he participated in an invitation-only UN FAO conference in Paris aimed at bringing soil into the next IPCC report. Learn more about FAO soil initiatives.

Jehne was an early researcher on glomalin, mycorrhizal fungi, and root ecology. Growing up in the bush surrounded by nature, he chose microbiology in university because it encompasses all life processes in microcosm. He started his career studying forest dieback diseases in relation to soil microbial interactions, then “switched to the dark side” when he realized that disease fungi are involved in symbiosis and play a role in recycling moribund organisms.

As a research scientist at CSIRO, Jehne investigated the potential of mycorrhizal fungi to recolonize toxic, degraded soils and rebuild productive biosystems. His curiosity took him to China to study why traditional agriculture in that country was so productive. Later he worked with his federal government to foster strategic innovation in land management before retiring to get back to applying science at a grassroots level. Explore CSIRO agricultural research.

MycorrPlus Helps to Build the Soil Carbon Sponge!

Carbon sequestration is THE ANSWER to returning carbon to the soil, restoring more normal rain fall patterns, and solving the problem of climate change. MycorrPlus is an amazing tool for optimizing carbon sequestration, which in turn causes a rapid building of the Soil Carbon Sponge. As Mr. Jehne has noted, this can result in some pretty wonderful things! Learn more about why carbon sequestration matters.

Interview Highlights

Greater Nutrient Availability: The “soil cathedral” concept—efficient nutrient delivery is related to how much mineral surface area is exposed.
Fertility without Fertilizer: Enhance natural nutrient cycling, solubilization, and fixation to sustainably achieve high productivity.
Mycorrhizae are Key: These fungi form membrane interfaces that allow for selective, intelligent nutrient uptake while excluding toxins. MycorrPlus helps establish these beneficial networks.
How to Change the Weather: Rebuild the Earth's soil carbon sponge and in-soil reservoirs to mitigate extreme weather. Discover how carbon sequestration helps.
Changing pH without Lime: Nature can balance pH by absorbing hydrogen ions onto organic surfaces. Learn about neutralizing soil pH naturally.

Acres USA has given AG-USA permission to reprint this article with added highlights. Enjoy this glimpse into Walter Jehne’s insights on soil health, climate change, and the power of the soil carbon sponge.