Gabion baskets are wire baskets filled with rock. The wire prevents rock movement. They are typically used on steeper slopes and where water is flowing at higher speeds. Stream banks can also be stabilized with shoreline planting. Natural grasses, shrubs, and trees slow the movement of water over the soil,andtrap sediment, preventing it from entering the water. Red osier dogwood and sweet gale are native shrubs that can quickly establish themselves, control erosion and beautify the water's edge.
These bushes also provide excellent habitat for wildlife. Organic or ecological growing involves minimizing or eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and nurturing rich, long term balanced soil fertility through techniques such as crop rotation, conservation tillage and adding compost and manure to the soil. Fertilizers usually only replace macro-nutrients phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium and do not provide the organic matter that natural fertilizers do.
Most insecticides are non selective. In addition to killing target pests, they can kill insects and microorganisms that are essential to soil fertility. Organic soil management can be applied on any scale from a small backyard to a large commercial farm, although the techniques for each will vary. The basic principle is taking into account the needs oforganisms that live in the soil - ensuring the natural cycling of nutrients, and the return of organic matter to the soil.
Organisms that are beneficial to the soil, to plants or that will help control pest organisms will all be maintained. In organic growing the goal is never to completely eliminate pests. Even pesticides cannot do this. Rather, the objective is to establish a balanced soil ecology with an acceptable level of damage by pests.
Despite a developer's best efforts, water erosion often occurs on urban construction sites. As a result, efforts must be made to keep the sediment or silt on the site, rather than having it transported by the water to a nearby storm sewer or stream.
A silt fence can be used to contain silt on the property being developed. It does this by filtering runoff, and trapping the sediment behind a filter cloth. This structure can also reduce the amount of soil blown from a construction site, by reducing wind velocity.
A sediment trap can have several forms, but the design which is now preferred consists of a filter cloth and crushed stone barrier which is placed over an inlet to the storm sewer system. The stone prevents the movement of large particles while slowing the velocity; and the cloth prevents the finer particles from entering the storm sewer.
A sedimentation pond is especially important on a construction site if large areas of soil must remain exposed for a long period. The pond generally consists of a large depression sized according to the drainage area which allows the sediment laden runoff waters to be temporarily detained.
This storing of runoff reduces its velocity and allows the soil particles to drop out or fall to the bottom of the pond.
The clean water is then taken off the surface and guided to an appropriate outlet to a stream or ditch. As with any soil conservation method, the above sediment controls only continue to function properly if they are correctly maintained. After sediment has been collected through these controls it must be properly removed and stabilized.
This will then allow these controls to remove silt effectively. Integrated pest management IPM uses a variety of techniques designed to cut the use of chemical pesticides, and hence reduce environmental risks. The backbone of IPM is crop rotation. By rotating crop from year to year, pests are starved out and less likely to establish themselves in damaging numbers the following year. Crop rotation is proven to be an effective method of pest control.
IPM also uses pest resistant crops, and biological controls such as the release of pest predators or parasites to control pest populations. Although IPM may require more time, the trade-offs of asafer environment and reduced costs for pesticide purchase are indisputable. Most of what has been described above relates primarily to agriculture. However, the principles apply to all land uses. Construction crews and foresters need to protect stream banks and use buffer strips as well.
They can avoid major erosion problems and protect soil resources by understanding the natural flow of watercourses, the lay of the land, and the need for organic matter and a diverse environment. Trees are rarely left standing on construction sites. Often sites are cleared entirely of vegetation, whereas, the soil could be exposed in stages to protect the soil for the longest time possible.
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Soil Conservation Soil Conservation is a combination of practices used to protect the soil from degradation. In addition to preserving soil life and organic matter, the other principles of soil conservation are to: manage surface runoff, protect bare exposed soil surfaces, and highly susceptible sites e. Buffer strips help hold stream banks intact during times of flooding.
They also prevent runoff from entering waterways. Buffer strips can include a mixture of grasses, shrubs, and trees. The re-establishment of forest cover provides an extensive tree-root network that offers a long-term solution to soil erosion associated with deforestation.
It can function both as a windbreak and a means to anchor soils in place. Any of these 10 ways to conserve soil will help protect this important natural resource and provide a solution for one of the most important environmental issues.
Once you begin using soil conservation methods, you'll no longer look at soil as mere dirt. Green Living Environmental Issues 10 Ways to Conserve Soil While it may be easy to dismiss the importance of dirt, it's a fact soil is vital to humankind. Agriculture Soil Conservation Three ways to conserve soil through agricultural means follow. Practice No-Till farming With no-till farming , crops are allowed to remain rather than being plowed under at the end of the season.
Use Terrace Farming This type of farming uses the topography of the land to slow water flow through a series of terraces.
Practice Contour Farming Contour farming replicates the effects of terrace farming, but on a smaller scale. Home Methods If you're not a farmer, try these methods at home. Reduce Impervious Surfaces Impervious surfaces , such as driveways and patios, allow precipitation to flow freely over them.
Plant a Rain Garden A rain garden is a shallow depression in your yard which will collect precipitation washing over impervious surfaces. Use a Rain Barrel You can place a rain barrel underneath a downspout to collect the water that runs off of your roof.
Resource Planning Think ahead and plan to conserve soil. Plant Windbreaks Windbreaks prevent soil erosion by slowing the force of the wind over open ground. The U. Instead of planting the same crop year after year on the same plot of land, crop rotation involves planning out growing seasons for different crops. This method of sustainable agriculture requires long-term planning, with crops changed every season. In addition to improving soil health and organic matter, crop rotation reduces the need for fertilizer and pesticides, lowering costs.
It also helps prevent excess chemicals from entering water supplies, improving water quality. Windbreaks are rows of trees and bushes planted between fields of crops, reducing the erosive power of the wind on the soil.
Windbreaks also provide homes for living things. From an economic standpoint, using trees that produce fruits and nuts in windbreaks can diversify farm income. They also act as buffers, protecting farmlands from floods. Like windbreaks, buffer strips are designated areas of land planted with trees and bushes. Instead of protecting soil from the wind, their purpose is to prevent water runoff and reduce erosion.
In areas where soil has degraded, the reestablishment of forest cover can improve soil and restore ecosystem health. This method provides shade for crops and is particularly useful for forest farming , which cultivates high-value crops, such as those used for medicinal purposes. Earthworms are among the most productive organisms in soil. They digest plant matter, releasing essential nutrients into the soil, and their tunnel networks create air channels that help water move through the soil.
Unsustainable agricultural practices can affect soil health, which in turn affects the global climate cycle. Poorly managed soil can release excess carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Restoring degraded soil and using soil conservation practices in agriculture can effectively sequester carbon, helping build resilience to the effects of climate change.
Soil conservation also promotes sustainable and economic development to meet the U. Building the resilience of our ecosystems is critical to addressing the challenges of a changing climate. One key factor sits right under our feet: soil. Through soil conservation, we can work to minimize the impact of climate change and support the long-term needs of society.
Skip to main content. Apply Program Guide. Threats to soil conservation The primary threats to soil conservation are climate change and traditional farming practices , according to the United Nations. Chemical contamination The use of pesticides can contaminate the soil, as well as nearby vegetation and water sources, with harmful chemicals. Slash and burn Slash-and-burn farming is the practice of burning and clearing forests to make way for farmland.
Earth Observing System, Soil Conservation Methods: Benefits of Implementation : A discussion of soil conservation highlighting strategies for sustainability. Thus putting lesser pressure on the soil. In this way it can help in reducing the soil erosion. Technical methods, one can say.
Ploughing is done at right angles to the hill slope, following the natural contours of the hill. It makes the ridges and furrows break the flow of water down the hill. As gullies are less, this prevents excessive soil loss. It is likely to develop and reduce run-off so that plants receive more water. Claims to be one of the oldest methods of soil conservation. Terracing and contour bunding across the hill slopes are very effective.
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