Soil Conservation

Soil is one of Earth´s most valuable natural resources because everything that lives on land, including humans, depends directly

or indirectly on soil. Humans and animals depend on plants or on other animals that depend on plants for food.

The Value of Soil

Soil Conservation is the management of

soil to prevent its destruction. Soil can be conserved through contour plowing, and crop rotation. In contour

plowing, farmers plow their fields along the curves of a slop. This helps slow the runoff of excess rainfall and prevents it from washing

the soil away. In conservation plowing, farmers disturb

the soil and its plant cover as little as possible.

In crop rotation, a farmer plants different crops in a field each year.

Soil Conservation

The value of soil is reduced when soil loses its fertility and when topsoil is lost due to erosion.

Soil that has lost its fertility is said to be exhausted.

Soil Damage & Loss

HOW TO

PREVENTSOIL

EROSION?

1.- Plant grass and ground cover in huge expansive gardens

and on sports fields. These are areas

frequently damaged by strong winds and heavy rainfall. The intact roots of lawn

grass or ground cover will help retain the soil when these areas are

exposed to strong winds and rains.

2. -Never leave embankments or

sloped gardens bare and exposed. These can be covered with

cobblestones or rocks to create a natural

looking stone or rocky effect. Alternatively

the sandy area can be chopped in layers to

accommodate flowers or shrubs to cover

topsoil completely. The nature or types of

shrubs should be able to have a strong root

system in order to keep the soil intact.

3.- Ensure that homes and other buildings have adequate draining and water collection

systems. This will refer to gutters or pipes that can drain water effectively into manhole

drainage systems. During heavy rainstorms, gushing water washes away all the

topsoil, leaving the roads and driveways ridden with sand.

These are eventually swept or thrown away, leading to a

waste of precious soil. Adequate drainage will also prevent the flow of gushing water in and around your

property.

4.- Adopt a small piece of land outside your property as your own. Land or Town board/Government owned properties are often most

neglected and highly prone to soil erosion. These

include the areas immediately outside

boundary walls or fences. Plant flowers or trees as

they will also add beauty to your immediate

environment. At the same time the loose soil will be

protected from harsh weather conditions.

5.- Create an awareness among

children and younger adults. This can be done by involving schools, libraries,

shopping malls or any other place that younger people

frequent, to engage in talks, distribute fliers

etc. These events should be fun

orientated to get younger people

interested and more involved.

7.-Build a retaining wall or fence around your property. These can serve as effective windbreakers, reducing the possibility of sand storms in your area.

6.-Create a dislike for bare and open spaces around

your home, schools, universities etc. Get directly involved by

suggesting to authorities by giving them ideas or suggestions on how to cover up these open spaces. Donate your

services in terms of time , labor, planting etc. in order to make your own personal

contribution.

Whenever soil is exposed, water and wind can quickly erode it. Plant cover can protect soil from erosion. Plants break the force of falling rain, and plant roots hold the soil together. Wind is another cause of soil loss. Wind erosion is most likely in areas where farming methods are not suited to dry conditions. The Earth is losing topsoil at a rate of 75 to 100 GT. per year. If soil loss continues at a present rates, it is estimated that there is only another 48 year of topsoil left.

Loss of Topsoil