Soil’s NotTrivial

MATERIALSWriting materials,scissors,dictionariesandphotocopiesof theattachedWho?,What?, Why?, flow? fact sheets,Soil Cards, Blank Cards, LocalSoil ConservationAction Plansheets,andhighlighterpens.

VOCABULARYConservation,drought,DustBowl,erosion,tillage, topsoil.Additionalwordsfrom the SupportingInformationandfact sheetscanbe selectedasneeded.

RELATED LESSONSFromApple Coresto HealthySoilPercThroughthePoresTill We or Won’t We?In Harmony

SUPPORTING INFORMATIONThe issuestheworld is dealingwithtodaywith respectto the conservationof soil andwaterresourcesarenot new.Theyarethe resultof centuriesofhumaninteractionwith theseresources.Theseinteractionshavehadbothpositiveeffects(terraces,irrigation

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development,landreclarnation’~and BRIEF DESCRIPTiONnegativeimpacts(acce’Ieratingsoil Usingfacts~abouttheDusterosion,salinationof soils,water Bowl,~studentswritepollution) on soil andwaterresources. questionsandplayatriViaTherearetwo major typesof soil ~used~rouni the

erosion,erosioncausedby wind and est~b~ishmehtof axatopalerosioncausedby water. This ~ coii~erv~tionprc~iram

lessondealsprimarily with the andtl~ mportanceXd~soil.erosioncausedby wind, which Studentsthenex~lor~broughtthe issueof soil erosion and/ordevelona~nIan±oto thepublicattention.

Effortsat soil conservationbeganamongU.S. farmersevenbeforetheAmericanRevoXution.SomecolonialAmericanswere

concernedaboutgoodsoil beingwashedor blownaway.The methodstheyusedto increasesoil fertility andreducesoil erosionincludedmaintain-ing groundcover(plantswhoserootshold soil in place),usingpastures,legumes,andcroprotationsystems.Manyof their soil conservationprac-tices arestill used today.JaredEliotlived during colonial times(1685-1763)andis recognizedasan earlypioneerinpreventingsoil erosion.Heexperi-mentedwith andwrote abouterosion,but hiswarningswentlargelyunno-ticed. Both GeorgeWashingtonandThomasJeffersonexperimentedwithsoil conservationpracticesandotherwaysto improvetheir farms.Washing-ton hadmuddredgedup from thebottomof the PotomacRiverandappliedto his fields anddiversionditchesdugto reducesoil erosionduring heavyrains.Jeffersonpracticedcroprotationandexperimentedwithnewvarietiesof peasto improve soilfertility and structure.PatrickHenry issaidto haveproclaimed(aboutthegeneralpopulation)aftertheAmericanRevolution, “Sincethe achievementof

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our independence,heis the greatestpatriotwho stopsthe mostgullies.”

Although someAmericanspracticedsoil conservation,erosioncontinuedto bean increasingproblemin thelate

19th andearly2O~ centuries.By thelate iSOOs,agriculturistsat land-grantcollegeswerepromotingtheimportanceof thesoil.Around theturn of thecentury,the United StatesDepartmentof Agriculture(USDA) beganto publishinformationaboutmethodsofconservingsoil andreclaiming“exhausted”land.

It was not until the 1930sthatthe Americanpublic firstrecognizedthemagnitudeofsoil erosionproblems.Whilesoil erosionis a naturalprocess(amajorfactor in theformationof soil), humanaction canaccelerateit.Americanslearnedfirsthandthat soil’s not trivial. This ~i”’~

atime whenduststormsoccurringoverthe mid-westernUnitedStates,especiallyin a 150,000-square-mile areaencompassingtheOklahomaandTexaspanhandlesandneighboringsectionsof Kansas,ColoradoandNewMexico. Thisareaof the southernGreatPlainsregion becameknownas the DustBowl.

In 1931,the first of a seriesof severedroughtsduringthe 1930shit the GreatPlains.Cropsfailed asplantsweakenedanddied.During 1932,mostsoil erosionwas local, asweretheresultaigdust storms,largelyconfinedto sandysoil wherewheat, corn andcottoncrop failureshadleft the groundbare.Duststormsbecamemorecommonin spring1933.Insufficient andpoorly distributedrainfall anddry winds, with aboveaveragevelocity, createdduststormsthatcausedwidespreaddamagein thesouthernGreatPlains.Inspring1934, the entire nationbecamealarmedaboutthe growing menaceof the duststorms.ThedustreachedWashington,D.C. andbeyond.Dustfell onshipshundredof milesout atsea.

Whenseveredroughtstruckthe GreatPlainsfrom1934to 1937,the soil lacked the extensiverootsystemsof prairiegrassesas ananchor.This wastheresultof the cultivationpracticesthatoccurredwith thewesternexpansionof the UnitedStates.The combina-tion of reducedprairie grasscover,stuntedplants,drysoil, andstrongwinds allowedthe windsto pick up the

loosetopsoilandswirl it into densedust clouds.Recur-rent duststormschokedcattleandpastures.Beforelong, millions of acresof land wereaffectedby winderosion.As soil eroded,the areawas losing its preciousresource.andits ability to producecrops.Millions ofdollarsof cropsweredestroyedby the droughtandresultingdust storms.The link wasmadebetweenpoor,

erodedlandandthe povertyofthe peopletrying to makealiving on it. Living in poverty,poorrural peoplecould notafford the improvementsneededto solvethe problems.A few leadersrealizedthattheywould haveto convinceCon-gressto intervenein ordertoprovidethe educationandsupportneededto implementconservationpracticessuchasplantingtreesandgroundcovers,andcontourfarmingwhichwouldprotectthe soilresources.

Nothing equaledthe “blackblizzards” that blew during1935.Dustmadetheair sodarkthatlights hadto be left on

evenduring theday. Thedustchokedthousandsofanimalson farms.Manypeopleworemasksthatfilteredout the big particles,but the maskswerenot muchhelp.Childrenandolderpeoplegot pneumoniaandotherlung infections.Life seemedto beput on hold asschoolsandbusinesseswereshutdown. Evenfuneralshadto be postponed;the fiercedust stormsmadeitimpossibleto burythedead.

Finally, in the summerof 1938,rain onceagainbeganto fall over muchof the DustBowl. With assistancefrom the governmentin theform of education,seedandtrees,farmerswereableto plant soil-holdingcropsandby spring 1939 theDust Bowl hadshrunkto itssmallestsize since1932.Only 9.5 million acresweresubjectto severewind erosion,asignificant decreasefrom 50 million acresin the winter of 1935and1936.Although dust stormscontinuedin 1939,theydid notlast as long andthewindswerenot asintense.Amplerain returnedto the areain thesummerandautumnof1940.

During cyclesof drought,dust stormsof a smallermagnitudereturnedto the southernGreatPlainsin the1950s,1970sand 1980s.To somedegree,dust stillblowswithin the GreatPlainstodaywhendrought,winds andsparsevegetativecoverprovidethe necessaryconditions.Theseverestormswith chokingdust,which

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turnsday into night for consecutiveweeks,hasnot beenseensincethe 1930s.

The work to preventsoil erosionandconservewaterresourcescontinuesin today’sNaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS) andlocal conservationdistricts. When the last surveyof ournaturalresourceswastaken, ratesof soil loss dueto wind andwatererosionweredownby 24 percentfrom the preceding10 years.It was still estimated,during thesameperiod,that 2.1 billion tonsof topsoilwerelost to erosion.Protectionof naturalresourcesis anongoingchallenge.

GETIING STARTEDGatherwriting materials,scissorsanddictionaries.PhotocopyHow?, Who?, What?, and Why?factsheets,oneperstudent,andLocal Soil Conserva-tion Action Plan, oneperteamof four students.Photocopyonesetof theSoil Cardsfor eachtwoteams(teamswork in pairs in SessionTwo).-Make oneextraphotocopyof the Soil Cards.Cut this copyapartandseparatethe cardsby who, what, why or howquestions.Photocopyenoughof the Blank Cardssheetso eachstudentgetsthreeblank cardsandhighlighterpens.(Note: You mayneedto makephoto-copies of the SupportingInformation.SeeSessionOne,Step4.)

PROCEDURE

SESSIONONE1. Setthe backgroundfor thislessonby sharingthe

SupportingInformation.The informationwill helpstudentsunderstandthatsoil erosionin Americais

• notanewissue.It alsowill providedetailsabouttheDustBowl anderosioncausedby wind. Ask:

- Who was oneof the earlypioneersto presentsoilerosionasanationalproblem?(JaredEliot)

- Whatarethe namesof the statesthatwerepartofthe regionknownas theDustBowl? (Texas,Oklahoma,Kansas,NewMexico, Colorado)

- Whatwerethe “black blizzards?”(fiercedust

stormsthat darkenedthe air with blowingdust)

- Whatyearhadthe worstdust storms?(1935)

- Who got pneumoniaandotherlungdiseases?(children andolderpeople)

- How far did the dusttravelby spring1934?(IttraveledpastWashington,D.C. and hundredsof milesout at sea.) -

- Why wasthe ability to producefood cropslostduringthe Dust Bowl? (The topsoilwas erodingawayand therewas a lack ofadequaterainfallto growcrops.)

- Why wasthe DustBowl smallerin size by spring1939?(The rains returnedin 1938 andfarmerswereableto plant cropsto hold thesoil inplace.)

2. To preparestudentsto write questionsfrom the factsheets,ask:

- Whatdo thesequestionshavein common?(Possibleresponsesincludea questionaskedwho, what, how, or why; eachquestionwasspecificand hadone right answer;and thequestionscouldbe answeredfrom theinformation in the reading.)

- Whatmakesa good question?Write responsesinavisible placefor usein Step6. (Possibleresponsesinclude:questionsshouldreflect themain ideasand thefacts; questionsshouldbespecificand leadto oneanswer;and questionsshouldbestatedclearly.)

3. Explainto studentsthat theywill be creatingandplayinga trivia activity aboutsoil andthehistoryofthesoil conservationmovementin the UnitedStates.Studentswill learnabouthow theDustBowl was created,wbo was involvedin establishinga nationalsoil conservationprogramduring theDustBowl, what theNaturalResourcesConservationServiceandConservationDistricts do,andwhy soil andsoil conservationare important.Ask thestudentsto:

- Describewhattrivia is.(odd tidbitsof interestingbut perhapsunnecessaryinformation)

- When is trivia used?(during games,inconversation,to captureinterest, in theGuinnessBookof Records)

Explainthatthe UnitedStatesis anincrediblycomplexsocietyandeconomy.As aworld leaderintechnology,scientificresearch,andagriculture,wepossessan immenseamountof knowledge.Thisleadsbusinessesandcareersin theUnited Statestobe very specialized.Informationthat mayappeartobetrivial to somemaybevery importantandusefulto others.For this economyandsocietyto workeffectively,all of thesebusinessesandcareersprovidean importantpieceof an intricate puzzle.Thefoundationof both oureconomyandsocietyis

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thefood systemandthe land it dependsupon.While mostof us arenot activelyworking on theland,we areall dependentupon it for our dailyneeds.This activity mayusea trivia format, butsoil’s not trivial.

4. Divide the classinto teamsof four students.Distribute adifferentfact sheetto eachstudentwithin the team.Make teamsof five with extrastudents,andassignthe supportinginformationtothefifth student.

5. Studentsleavetheir teamandjoin a largergroupofstudents(jigsaw) whohavethe samefactsheet(e.g.,How? Group,Who?Group andsoon.) This iscalled a jigsawgroup.Provideeach“jigsaw groupthreeBlank Cardsper student,adictionaryandhighlighters.Explain thateachstudentreadshis orherfactsheet,usesthedictionary to look up newwordsandunderlinesor highlights importantinformation.

6. Eachstudentin thegroupwritesthreequestions,oneperblankcard,usingtheinformationfrom hisor her factsheet.Remindstudentsof their criteriafor good questions(Step2). Explain that studentscanaskquestionsthatbeginwith who, what, whyor how. Theydo not haveto askonlywhoquestionsfrom their Who? fact sheetor only howquestionsfrom their How? fact sheetandso on.Give eachgroupthethreeSoil Cardsthat pertainto their groupsostudentsdo not duplicatethesequestions.Encouragestudentsto discussandedittheir questionswith groupmembers.Whengroupsarefinishedwriting their questions,havestudentssavethem for SessionTwo.

Optional: Theactivity canbedoneas a whole-classactivity. Divide the classinto four groupsofstudents.Distribute the Who?, What?, Why?andI-low? fact sheetsto differentgroups(e.g., Who?group, What?groupandsoon.)Eachgroupreadstheinformationandwrites K-.- questions,oneperblankcard.These12 questionswill beaddedto the12 questionsfrom the Soil Cards.You or astudentreadsaquestionto onegroup. If the groupanswerscorrectlyit getsthe card;if not, thecardgoesinto the discardpile. Continuereadingquestionsgoing from groupto group.Oncethecardsaregone,readthe cardsin thediscardpile.Any questionsthat remainunansweredcanbe givento the groupsto find answerson their factsheets.

SESSIONT~iVO1. Ask studentsto return to their original team.Form

pairsof teamsto play theactivity as opponents.(If

you havean unevennumberof teams,form agroupof threeteams.)Distribute onecopyof theSoil Cardsandscissorsto eachpairedteam.Askonestudentto cut the cardsapart.Ask anotherstudentto collectthe questionswritten by eachstudentandshufflethem into the Soil Cardsquestions.Eachpair of teamswill havea total of 24cards(27 to 30 cardsfor teamswith five students).All the cardsshouldbe stackedfacedown in a pile.

Optional: To increasethe learningexperience,

beginthe sessionwith studentsin their “jigsawgroups.”Ask onestudentin eachgroupto collectthe questioncards,shuffle them,andthengive eachstudentthreecards.Thiswill furtherdecreasethechancesof astudentgettingall of hisor her ownquestionswhenpairedwith anotherteam.

2. • Teamsandstudentswithin eachteamtaketurnsaskingquestionsof theotherteam.Play beginswithastudentfrom oneteamtakingacardandaskingtheopposingteamthequestion.Teamshave20secondsto conferbeforegiving ananswer.Onlyoneanswermaybegiven by onestudent.If theteamgetsthe correctanswer,theteamclaimsthecard;if theyanswerincorrectly,the cardgoesinto adiscardpile. Teamsalternateaskingquestionsandcontinueto playtheactivity until all the cardshavebeenread. Next haveeachpairedteamdiscussandanswerthequestionsin its discardpile.

Optional: Permit studentsto usethefact sheetsduring the activity to locateinformation.Or, onlypermitstudentsto usethe factsheetsto answerquestionsin thediscardpile.

3. Summarizethissessionby asking:

- Whatfactorscontributedto the creationof theDustBowl? (Factorsincludewestwardexpansion,removalof theprairie grasses,

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drought, technology,World War I and the stockmarketcrashof 1929.)

- Who weresomeof thekey playersin the soilconservationmovementduring the 1930s?Whatwastheir contribution?(Hugh HammondBennettbecamea leader in soil conservationbecauseof his writings, experimentstations,demonstrationprojects,and role as the headofSESand SCS.The SESand SCSprovidedmaterialsand planningassistanceto helpfarmersinstall conservationmeasures.Congresspassedand Rooseveltsignedthe SoilConservationActof 1935.TheCivilianConservationCorps(CCC)and the WorksProjectsAdministration(WPA)providedpeopleto work on soil conservationprojects.Dr.WalterC. Lowdermilk assistedBennettin theSoil ErosionService(SES)and the SoilConservationService(SCS)andapplied thesuccessesandfailuresof other culturesto thesoil erosionproblemin the UnitedStates.Milburn L. Wilson, as AssistantSecretaryofAgriculture, proposedthecreation ofconservationdistricts. Conservationdistrictsinvolved local peoplein soil erosionproblems.)

- Why wasthe Soil ConservationAct of 1935importantto the soil conservationmovement?(Itcreateda permanentagencythat wouldworkto control and preventsoil erosion.It alsogavethe SCSthe authority to providea soil erosionprogramfor the entirenation.)

- How did conservationdistrictshelpthe soilconservationmovement?(Theyinvolvedlocalpeoplein local soil erosionproblemsandsolutions.)

- How did theDustBowl changetheway peopletakecareof the soil to preventwind erosion?(Itmadepeoplerealize the importanceof usingsoil conservationmethodssuchasstripcropping, terracing, and leavingcrop residueon the soil for protectivecover.)

- Haveyounoticederosioncausedby water?(muddy streamsandrivers,silting in of riversandponds,creationof river deltas,islandsformedinstreams,banksof riversandstreamscut away,etc.)

- Why is soil importantto you?Why is soilimportantto your community?

- Do youthink it’s importantto conservenaturalresourceslike soil? Why or why not?(Wearestill losing valuabletopsoil.Soil affectsthe

capability of farmersand ranchersto growcropsand raise livestock,which in turn affectsthefoodsupplyfor peopleand animals.Soilerosion affectsourair and waterqualityQndpotentially thehealthof people,plantsandanimals.)

- How can youandyour classmatesusewhatyouhavelearnedto solvesoil erosionproblemsatyour homeor school or in your community?(Consultwith the local Natural ResourceConservationService(NRCS)officesandconservationdistricts to learn about localnatural resourceissues.Makea decisionon animportant issueand work to addressit.)

SESSIONTHREE1. Gatherand/oraskstudentsto gathernewspaper

articles,lettersto the editorfrom your localnewspaper,andarticlesandphotographsfromothersources.Look for issuesrelatedto soilproblemsthat mightbe presentin your schoolorcommunity.Brainstorma list of soil issuesaboutwhichstudentsare concerned.Postit in avisibleplaceso studentscan reflect on issuestheywouldlike to investigateor with whichtheymaywanttobecomeinvolved.

Optional: Consideraskingappropriatespeakers,suchasa memberof local government,a farmer,aparentwhovolunteersfor a conservationorenvironmentalgroup, or an employeeor boardmemberfrom alocal conservationdistrict to speakwith your classabouttheissues.Providetimeforstudentsto preparequestionsfor the speaker(s).

2. Formteamsof four students.Ask eachteamtoselectoneissueit wantsto investigate.To helpstudentsdesigntheir plan,distributeonecopy of

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the Local Soil ConservationAction Plan toeachteam. Eachteammembershouldtakeresponsibilityfor completingonepart of theplan.

3. Onceteamsaresatisfiedwith their actionplans,give themtime to prepareto presenttheir plantotheentire class.Encouragedemonstrations,posters,learningcenters,andskits ratherthanlecturepresentations.Eachteam membershouldparticipatein the presentation.

SESSIONFOUR1. Conducttheteamprese~ is. Providetimefor

studentsto askquestions~. - ~eendof eachpresentation.

2. If possible,havethestudentscarryout their actionplans. Working togetheras a classmaysimplify theeffort. Havethe studentsvoteon the actionplantheywould like to beginwith first. Help studentsidentify specificassignmentsand atime line. Be’sureto includea variety of communitymemberstoprovidethesupportnecessaryto a plan’s success.

EVALUATION OPTIONS1. Use,thefactsheetsto createa timeline detailing

the eventsthatled to thecreationof the SoilConservationServiceandthe conservationdistricts.

2. Evaluatequestionswritt”’- % individualstudentsandseeif theyusedthe ~ •~ientifiedby theclass.

3. Evaluatehowwell studentsworkedcooperativelyinthe jigsaw groupsandwhile playingthe activity.

4. Evaluateenthusiasm,effectivenessandlong-rangecommitmentof studentsto the actionplantheydevelopedin SessionThree.

5. Havestudentscompleteoneor moreof thefollowing statements.

- Soil is importantbecause...- Soil conservationis importantbecause...- 1 canhelpreducesoil erosionby...- The DustBowl could or could not(chooseone)

happenagainbecause...

EXTENSIONS AND VARIATIONS1. Have studentsinterviewfarmers,conservation

districtdirectorsor supervisors,extensionagentsorlocal NaturalResourceConservationService(NRCS) officials to learnaboutsoil conservationpracticesusedin your area.Thenvisit siteswherethesepracticesarein use.

2. Invite studentsto usevariousmediato dc~someadditional research.

A. Makethe SupportingInformationandtheHow?and Who?fact sheetsavailabletostudentssothey canresearchmoredetailsaboutthe DustBowl: If you live in oneof theDust Bowl states,find out whathappenedand,if possible,havestudentsinterviewpeopleorbring in peoplewholived during the Dust Bowlyears.

B. Learnmoreaboutthecontributionsof theCivilian ConservationCorps(CCC) andtheWorks ProjectAdministration(WPA). Whatkindof work did theydo thatpromotedsoil conser-vation?How did theWPA impactpublic works,public art, music,photography,andtheinvolve-ment of blackartistsandotherminoritiesduringthe Depression?

C. Researchearlyconservationistsandtheircontributions.SomesuggestednamesareJaredEliot, SamuelDeane,SolomonandWilliamDrown, IsaacHill, JohnLorain, JohnTaylor,NicholasSorsby,EdmundRuffin andAldoLeopold.Contactyour local NRCSoffice for acopy of EarlyAmericanSoil Conservationists,MiscellaneousPublicationNo. 449, USDA, SoilConservationService,1941.

3. TheDust Bowl promptedacultural responsefromartistslike DorotheaLange,Woody GuthrieandJohnSteinbeck,wholamentedtheAmericaneconomicethosthathadcreatedthedisaster.Sharetherichnessof their workwith your students.

A. Displaya copyof DorotheaLange’sfamousphoto, “Migrant Mother” anddiscusswhat lifemusthavebeenlike throughhereyes.

B. Ask studentsto look up the songsandwritingsof Woody Guthrieandsharetheirfindings byplaying someof hissongsin classor readingexcerptsfrom hiswritings. SeethePeteSeegerreferencein Resourcesfor apossiblestartingplace.

C. Viewthe video of “The Grapesof Wrath” orreadthebookby JohnSteinbeck.Follow withdiscussionsandstudentinterviewswith peoplewho experiencedthe DustBowl years.

4. Ask studentsto imaginetheyarenewspaperreportersin the 1930s.Give themoneor moreofthe following headlines: “Soil Erosionis UnderControl,” “Soil Erosionis Losing Ground” and “Soil

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Loss:The AnswerMay Be Blowin’ in theWind.”Havestudentsresearchandwrite the story.

5. Allow studentsto makebumperstickersor cartoonsthat depictsoil erosionor soil conservation.Cartoonsoften conveyanimportantmessagewithan eye-catchingsketch. Invite studentsto researchthe cartoonsby syndicatedcartoonistJay“Ding”Darling (1876-1962).Someof hiscartoonslamentedthe loss of soil. As oneof themostinfluential andmostoften reprintedcartoonistsinAmerica,he wasableto reachandteachthousandswith hiscartoonsrelatingto soil andwildlifeconservation.

6. Havestudentslocatereliableinformationsourcesanddevelopan activity for otherconservationsubjectsof their choice,suchasendangeredplantsand/oranimals,wetlands,water, renewableenergy,andsoon.

7~ Usethisquestion-and-answermethodologywithnewvocabularywordsusedin eachof thefactsheets.Havestudentswrite eachword anditsdefinition on individual index cards.Onestudentshouldreadthe definition; andanothermustgivethewordthatis defined.

RESOURCESLocal or countyConservationDistricts, extensionservice,countyor statefarmbureaus,U.S. Departmentof Agriculture’s Natural ResourcesConservationSer-vice.

Glanz, James.SavingOur Soil: Solutionsfor Sustain-ing Earth’s Vital Resource.JohnsonPrinting, 1995.

Hurt, R. Douglas.TheDustBowl: An Agriculturaland Social History. Nelson-Hall, 1981.

Seeger,PeteandBob Reiser.Carry It On! A History inSongand Picture of the WorkingMen and WomenofAmerica. Simon& Schuster,Inc., 1985.

AdoptAn AcreProgram. Contactyour local or statefarm bureau(notavailablein all states).Studentswork apieceof land “adopted”or rentedin conjunctionwith alocal mediaoutlet. Reportersvisit on a regularbasistoreporton students’efforts.

America’sPrivate Land,A Geographyof Hope. U.S.Departmentof Agriculture, NaturalResourcesConser-vation Service,December1996.

ConservingSoil. NationalAssociationof ConservationDistricts,P.O.Box 885,LeagueCity, TX 77573;1-800-825-5547$8.50each.

FarmFacts,AmericanFarmBureauFederation,225TouhyAvenue,ParkRidge,IL 60068;(312)399-5700.Single copyof Farm FactsFolder/LessonPlans/Bookisavailablefor $6.50 including shipping.Visit their“Voice of Agriculture” site(http://www.fb.com)forinformationon nationalandregionalagriculture.

Readingsin the History of the Soil ConservationService. HistoricalNotesNumber1. U. S. Departmentof Agriculture, Soil ConservationService,EconomicsandSocialSciencesDivision, September1992.

TheStoryof Land- Its Use andMisuseThroughtheCenturies.Soil andWaterConservationSociety,7515NortheastAnkenyRoad,Ankeny, Iowa, 50021-9764;1-800-THE-SOIL.Bookletsandteacher’sguides,$.50each;free educationalmaterialslist.

TeachingSoil and WaterConservation:A Classroomand Field Guide. U.S. Departmentof Agriculture,NaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS).Underrevision;contactyour local NRCSoffice to obtainacopy.

Paddock,Nancy,Planting in the Dust,Land Steward-ship Project,22004th Street,WhiteBearLake,MN55110. (651)653-0618.

EDUCATOR’S NOTES

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1.’• II.’. ..> I ..

©2000 Project Food, Land & People

HOW?

Directions:How did thedestructionof thesoil lead to the creationof the DustBowl?Readcarefully to find out.Underlineor highlightdetailsandimportantideasthat wouldmakegoodquestions.Circlewordsto look up in thedictionary.

Settlersin the 19th andearly20thcenturies(often immigrants)wereencouragedto settlethe prairies,driven by theAmericangoal of expansionandtheir own “AmericanDream.” The numberof farms within the GreatPlainsareaalmostdoubled, increasingfrom about5,700farms in 1890 to morethan 11,000in 1910.As the numberof farmsincreased,prairie grasseswere replacedwith cultivatedcropssuchas wheat, cornandcotton.When landwas firstclearedandcultivated,therewas nothingto hold the soil in placeagainstrain andwind. As farmerscontinuedtocultivatetheland, the soil was brokeninto smallerfiner pieces,increasingits vulnerability to wind erosion.A de-creasein prairie grassesalsomeantlesspasturefor cattlegrazing.This led to the overgrazingof the remainingprairiegrasses.Somefarmersallowedtheir cattleto grazethefieldsuntil all of thestubblehadbeeneaten.This leftthegroundunprotectedfrom wind. Somefarmersburnedoff the stubble,a practicethatgave little backin thewayof organicmatter.Crop residueis an importantsourceof organicmatter,returningnutrientsto thesoil. With the loss of organicmatter,soilsarelessable to absorbmoistureandsupportvegeta-tion. As soil moisturedecreases,the potentialfor winderosionincreases.

Technologyprovidedfor increaseduseof powermachinery.Tractors,multi-row plows, andcombinesreplacedhorsesandsingleplows.Farmerswereableto plantandharvestmoreacresof cropsthanin previousyears.Over-productioncausedpricesto fall. Farmerscom-pensatedfor the lower pricesby planting moreacresin wheat,onceagainreducingthe prairiegrasses.

World WarI resultedin a boomin wheatdemand.Wheatpricesin the DustBowl statesincreasedfrom an averageof 91 centsperbushelto morethan$2 perbushelby 1917.Farmersplowedmillions of acresof prairiegrasses- thegreatestremovalthanin any of the previousyears— to plant morewheat. GreatPlainsfarmerslargelyignoredconservationpracticesto plant morecrops.After thewar, whenthehigh pricescollapsedin the early192Os,morelandwas clearedto plantmorewheatto offset theeconomicloss.Theaveragefarm sizeincreasedfrom about465 acresin 1910 to about810acresin 1930.

Thestockmarketcrashof 1929 resultedin an economicdisasterknownasthe Depression.Wheatpricesdroppedfrom 99 centsperbushelin 1929 to 34 centsperbushelin 1931.Farmerswhohadusedsoil conservationpracticescould no longeraffordto do so. Theydid not havethe resourcesto spendon additionalseed,fertilizer or providefuel for their machineryor feedfor animals.

A droughtbeganin the summerof 1931andlastedsevenyears.Themostseveredroughton recordoccurredfrom1934to 1937.With normalprecipitation,wheatplantswereableto hold the soil andprovide protectionagainstwind erosion.The lack of precipitationresultedin cropfailure. Without soil-holding cropsandprotectivecover fromprairiegrasses,the nearlyconstantwindspickedup fine soil particlesandcarriedthem away.

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WHO?

Directions: Who was involvedin establishinga national soil conservationprogram in the UnitedStatesduringthe timeof theDustBowl?Readcarefully to find out. Underlineor highlight detailsandimportantideasthatwouldmakegoodquestions.Circlewordsto look up in the dictionary.

HughHammondBennettwas a soil scientistwith the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture(USDA). He beganwriting andspeakingaboutthe menaceof soil erosionin the 1920s.His soil survey experienceconvincedhim that erosionwascausingseriousandpermanentharmin America. In 1928,theUSDA publishedSoil Erosion: A NationalMenace,•co-authoredby BennettandWilliam R. Chapline.It provideda generalsurveyof erosionconditionsandwasusedtogainsupportfrom Congressfor a nationalsoil conservationprogram.In 1929,Bennettreceivedfederalfunds toestablishsoil erosionexperimentstationsso farmerscouldobservesoil conservationpracticesandthenimplementthemon their land.

The Soil ErosionService(SES)was establishedin 1933as a temporaryagencyof the U.S. Departmentof theInterior. Its purposewas to studysoil erosionandbegindemonstrationprojectsnearthe experimentstations.UnderBennettas director,the SF5usedfederalfundsto carry out demonstrationprojectson privatelands.Farmerscouldsign five-yearagreementsto install conservationmeasures.SF5providedequipment,seed,seedlings,planningassistance,andlabor from the Civilian ConservationCorps(CCC) or the Works ProjectsAdministration(WPA). AsSESwas working on thenationalreconnaissanceerosionsurveyin 1934,majorduststormshit the GreatPlains.

The Soil ConservationAct of 1935was passedby Congressandsignedby PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt.Itchangedthetemporarystatusof SF5to apermanentagency- the Soil ConservationService(SCS)- within theUSDA. Bennettbecamethe chief of the newagency.This actauthorizedSCSto work beyondthe demonstrationprojectsto createa programfor the entire nationthatwouldwork to control andpreventsoil erosion.Thegovern-ment providedsomeequipmentandsupplies,laborfrom the CCCandtheWPA andtechnicaladvicefrom peopletrainedin soil conservationmethods.Bennettearnedareputationasa leaderin soil conservationandasthe “fatherof soil conservation.”

Dr. WalterC. Lowdermilk servedas thevice director of theSESandthenas theassistantchief of the SCS.Lowdermilk addedrunoff anderosionstudiesto the demonstrationprojects.He believedSCSstaffworking in thefield with farmersshouldbe called “land doctors,”andserveas “generalpractitionersof theconservationsciences.”Lowdermilk traveledto Europe,the Mediterraneanarea,andthe Middle Eastto studytheir agriculture.Hewantedtolearnhowtheir successesandfailurescould helpsolve erosionproblemsin theUnitedStates.

SCSfoundthe demonstrationprojectshadlittle influencebeyond50 milesof their boundaries.For thework tospreadnationwideandhavean impacton theway peoplefarmed,local farmershadto becomemoreinvolvedinplanningandcarryingout thework. Milburn L. Wilson,asassistantsecretaryof Agriculture, proposedthe creationof conservationdistrictsto addressthisconcern.TheStandardStateSoil ConservationDistrictsLaw waspreparedasa model for’ the statesto useas ameansto involve local farmersin soil conservation.Rooseveltsentit to the stategovernorsin February1937,andsuggestedthateachstateadoptsuchalaw to organizeconservationdistrictsaspartof a nationaleffort to conservesoil. Arkansaspassedthefirst suchactin March 1937.The districtsenhancedandexpandedthe soil conservationmovementin theUnitedStatesby directly involving landownersandoperatorsatthelocal level.

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WHAT?

Directions: What is the role of the Natural ResourcesConservationServiceand conservationdistrictsregardingsoil conservationtoday?Readcarefully to find out. Underlineor highlightdetailsandimportantideasthatwouldmakegood questions.Circle wordsto look up in the dictionary.

SinceOctober1994,the Soil ConservationService(SCS)hasbeencalled the NaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS). The namechangeof this federalagencyreflectsthe vision andthe needto protectall naturalresources- soil, water,air wildlife andplants - as awhole.The NRCSstill doeswhat theSCS did: providetechnicalassistanceto thenation’s farmersandranchers(in cooperationwith the nation’s soil andwaterconservationdistricts)to planandapply soil andwaterconservationpracticeson the privately ownedfarm, grazingandforestedlandsofthe nation.It still providesinformationandtechnicalassistanceandencouragesvoluntary useof soil andwaterconservationpracticesto helpfarmers,ranchersandothersrestore,enhanceandprotectthe land.

Like the SCS,the NRCS is afield-orientedagency.NRCSemployeeswork in field offices locatedin nearlyeverycountythroughoutthe UnitedStates.Most of themwork in countyofficesandhelp local landowners,conservationdistrict staff, andcommunitygroupsidentify andwork with naturalresourceissuesandproblems.NRCSfield staffassistwith the developmentof individual conservationplansandtheapplicationof soil andwaterconservationpracticeson privateland.Becauseconservationis morethanpreventingsoil erosion,theagencyalsois involved inprotectingwaterquality andsupply,conservingwetlands,providing fish andwildlife habitat,andconductingnaturalresourceinventories.NRCS employeesalsoprovidescientificandtechnicalsupportto the peopleworking in thefield.

NRCSworks in cooperationwith about3,000conservationdistricts. Dependingon the state,theymaybe identifiedassoil conservationdistricts,soil andwaterconservationdistricts, conservationdistricts,naturalresourcesconserva-tion districts,naturalresourcedistrictsor resourceconservationdistricts. Districtsservethe 50 states,District ofColumbia,PuertoRico, Virgin Islands,NorthernMarianaIslandsandGuam.As units of local government,localcitizensorganizethe districtsunderstatelaw. They operateon thepremisethat local peopleknowthemostaboutlocal soil andwaterconservationissues.

As resourcemanagementagencies,thedistrictsareresponsiblefor settingprioritiesandcarryingout a programfortheconservation,useanddevelopmentof soil, waterandrelatedresources.Fromtheir beginningin 1937, thedistrictshaveusedacooperativeapproach.They coordinateandimplementnaturalresourceandenvironmentalprogramsat the local level in cooperationwith federalandstateagencies.Theyalsowork with landmanagers,localgovernmentagencies,andotherlocal intereststo addressresourceconcernssuchas erosioncontrol, flood preven-tion, waterusesandconservation,wetlands,groundwater,waterquality andquantity,forestlandprotection,wildlife,recreation,wastewatermanagementandcommunitydevelopment.

©2000 Project Food, Land & People556

WHY?

Directions: Whyare soil andsoil conservationpracticesimportant?Readcarefully to find out. Underlineorhighlightdetailsandimportantideasthatwould makegoodquestions.Circlewordsto look up in thedictionary.

The groundbeneathyour feet is teemingwith life. Soil is acomplex,dynamicmixture that is essentialfor terrestriallife. It is importantfor manyreasonsfrom thebasicproductionof food to themorecomplexcleanup of human-generatedpollution.

Mostplantsget their nutrients,waterandsupportfrom thesoil in which they grow. Fromthe nutrientsandwater, inthe presenceof light, theyproducesugars,starches,proteins, fatsandoils. Animalsandpeoplegettheir nutrientsby eatingplants or otheranimalsthat eatplants. Soil is the foundationof agriculturalproductivity.Farmersandranchersdependon soil to growcropsfor peopleandlivestock.

Someanimalsmaketheir homein soil. For example,earthworms,ants,termites,prairiedogs,gophers,groundsquirrels,moles,andfield miceburrowthroughthe soil. By burrowinginto the soil, the animalsmix the soil andopenchannelsso waterand air canreachplant roots andotheranimalsandorganismsliving in the soil. Soil con-tainsmillions of living microscopicorganismscalled microbes. Microbesdecomposeorganicmatterin soil, provid-ing the nutrientsplantsneedto grow.Microbesin thesoil alsohelpbreakdownorganicandinorganicmaterialssuchas municipal andanimalwastes,pesticidesandfertilizers.

Soil filters or regulateswaterin thewatercycle.Precipitationthatfalls on theland: 1) runsover thelandsurface,2)moveslaterally throughthe soil to a surfacewaterbody,3) movesdown throughthe soil to groundwater,or 4)remainsheld in thesoil to be usedby plants.

Soil storesand cyclesnutrientssuchas carbonor nitrogen.Somebacteriaandothersoil organisms(algae)takegaseousnitrogenfrom the air andchangeit into a chemicalform that plantscan use.It is estimatedthat the organicmatterin thesoil storesas muchasthreetimesmorecarbonthandoesall of Earth’svegetation.Holding thecarbonin this mannerreducesthebuild up of carbondioxide — a greenhousegas— in the atmosphereandthus helpstostabilizeglobal climate.

Although soil erosionis anaturalprocess,humanactionscanspeedup the process.Soil erosionin somepartsoftheUnited Statesis still occurringatarapid rate,far morerapidthansoil can benaturally regenerated.Soil forma-tion is a slow, continuousprocess.Newsoil materialgraduallyforms asmineralsbreakdowndueto chemicalandbiologicalprocesses.It is estimatedthatsincethe 1600s,the UnitedStateshaslostat leastone-thirdof its topsoiltowindandwatererosion.Accordingto the 1997 NationalResourcesInventorycompletedby the NaturalResourcesConservationService,theerosionrateon all croplandwas 5.2 tonsof soil per acre.This is asignificant changefrom1982whentheerosionratewas 8 tonsperacre.

Soil conservationpracticessuchascontourfarming, terracing,strip cropping,minimal tillage, no-till farming,croprotationandleavingcrop residuecanhelpminimize soil erosionandthe lossof valuabletopsoil.Thisalsohelpsreducethe effectsof soil erosionon the quality of ourwaterandair. Soil maycarry potentialcontaminantsto nearbywaterbodiesreducingthe waterquality andfish habitat.Wind putsdust particlesinto the air, causingair pollutionand,for somepeople,healthproblems.Soil conservationis as importanttodayas it was in colonial times.

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SOIL CARDSQ: How did technologyaddto thesoil erosion

problem? I Q: WhatdoesNRCSstandfor?

NaturalResourcesConservationServiceA: Powermachinerymadeit possiblefor farmerstoremovemoreof the prairie grassesandplantandharvestmorecrops.

Q: How did the stockmarketcrashof 1929addtothe soil erosionproblem?

I Q: Whatwasthe nameof theNaturalResourcesI ConservationServicebefore1995?

A: Farmerscould not affordto usesoil conservation I A: Soil ConservationServicepractices. I

I~1

Q: How doesorganicmatterhelpreducewinderosion?

A: It helpsthesoil absorbmoisturesoplantscangrowandhold the soil together.

Q: Who was themain personresponsiblefor tellingCongressandthenationaboutsoil erosionin theUnitedStates?

A: Hugh HammondBennett

Q: Who workedon the nationalreconnaissance

erosionsurveyin 1934?

A: Soil ErosionService(SES)

Q: What is a conservationdistrict?

A: A unit of local governmentorganizedunderstatelaw by local citizens, responsiblefor carryingoutconservationprogramsat thelocal level.

Q: Why do animalsneedsoil?

Animals eatplantsor otheranimalsthat eatplants,which grow in soil. Someanimalsmaketheir homesin soil.

-H

I Q: Why is soil importantto the watercycle?

A: Precipitationthatfalls on theland: 1) runsoverI the land surface,2) moveslaterally throughthe

soil to a surfacewaterbody,3) movesdownthroughthe soil to groundwater,or 4) remainsheld in thesoil to be usedby plants.

IQ: Who gavethe Soil ConservationSe~’iice the Q: Why mightsoil conservationbe importantto

authorityto createa soil conservationprogram I someone’shealth?for the entirenation?

A: CongressandPresidentFranklinD. Roosevelt

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IA: It helpskeepsoil particlesout of the air sopeoplecan’tbreathetheminto their lungs. It helpskeepssoil andpossiblecontaminantsout of thewaterthatpeoplemaydrink.

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