 Soil Conservation 

Soil Conservation

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  Soil Conservation 

C ONSERVATION is the best way to make sure that we have

the land we need to live on or, in my case, live in. If you see
your soil eroding, protect it with grass or plants. If you see
something that's making the soil sick, do everything you can
to make the soil healthy again. If you live on a farm, make
sure that the soil on your fields and pastures stays right
where it is right now! Call my pals at the Natural Resources
Conservation Service. They'll tell you all you need to know to
get things going and growing!

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  Soil Conservation 

 Concept :
Soil Conservation is a combination of practices used to protect
the soil from degradation. First and foremost, soil
conservation involves treating the soil as a living ecosystem.
This means returning organic matter to the soil on a continual
basis.

Soil conservation can be compared to preventive maintenance

on a car. Changing the oil and filter, and checking the hoses and spark
plugs regularly will prevent major repairs or engine failure later.
Similarly, practicing conservation now will preserve the quality of the
soil for continued use.

Soil conservation is a "combination" of practices used to

protect the soil from degradation. First and foremost, soil conservation
involves treating the soil as a living ecosystem, and recognizing that all
the organisms that make the soil their home, play important roles in
producing a fertile healthy environment. They are responsible for
breaking down organic matter, releasing nutrients, and opening up
spaces for the circulation of air and water.

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.g. steep slopes), and

 protect downstream watercourses from sedimentation and

pollution.

Soil conservation is an active ongoing process throughout which

the practitioner must maintain his/her commitment. The first step is to
obtain a good basic knowledge of the land resource. This means
knowing where the soil is most permeable and susceptible to
groundwater contamination from excess pesticides; or where the land
is most susceptible to water erosion because of a combination of slope
and soil texture. Without this understanding, it is impossible to plan an
appropriate conservation strategy.

 Ten Good Reasons To Practice Soil

Conservation :

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  Soil Conservation 

1. To maintain an adequate amount of organic matter and

biological life in the soil. These two components account for
90 to 95 percent of the total soil productivity.
2. To ensure a secure food supply at reasonable prices. Soil
conservation is proven to increase the quality and quantity of
crop yields over the long term because it keeps topsoil in its
place and preserves the long term productivity of the soil.
3. To grow enough food not only for ourselves; but also for people
in third world countries where there are food shortages.
4. To save farmers money. Erosion is currently costing farmers
over $90 million a year in lost income due to lower crop yields,
and the loss of nutrients from the soil.
5. To save citizens money. Soil erosion costs us an addition $9.1
million each year, and probably much more according to recent
research.

 Soil Conservation Techniques :

 Conservation Tillage :

Conservation tillage consists of a variety of practices used in

agriculture to reduce wind and water erosion. The main principles are:

a) to keep bare soil protected at ll time of the year either with

living vegetation, or with residue from the previous crop; and

b) to minimize the number of times the field is tilled.

Bare soil is highly susceptible to erosion. Excess tillage destroys

soil structure and organic matter.

In conservation tillage, at least 20 to 30 percent of the soil

surface is covered in the previous year's crop residue after planting.
The residue reduces wind velocity at the soil surface and breaks the
impact of raindrops. Root systems hold the soil in place. If practiced
across a slope, rows of stubble act as small dams to slow water as it
runs down hill.

No-till farming involves planting seeds into the residue of the

previous crop, with no tillage between harvests. No till leaves 60 to 70
percent of a field covered with crop residue.

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Another aspect of conservation tillage is the choice of machinery

used. The traditional moldboard plow tends to overturn and throw
the soil leaving it bare and exposed to erosion. Chisel plows
however, leave 30 to 50 percent of the soil surface covered with
residue.

Timing is also important. For most soil types, it is better to till a

field in the spring after the major erosive force of spring melt has
passed. (Clay soils however, respond best to fall tillage). Soil should
not be tilled and traveled on when it is wet. This practice is the leading
cause of soil compaction.

Aside from erosion control, the other advantages of conservation

tillage are increased water infiltration, a greater addition of organic
matter to the soil, and savings of fuel and time for the farmer.
Conservation tillage also enhances wildlife habitat for soil organisms,
birds and small animals like field mice and snakes.

 Contour Farming :

Contour farming
involves tilling and planting
along the contour, rather than
up and down the slope. The
furrows and rows of plants act
as dams which slow down the
flow of water moving down the
slope. Unless some type of
contour farming is used,
particularly on long slopes,
serious field erosion can result.

Contour farming also uses less fuel and power for tractors.

 Strip Cropping :

Strip cropping involves alternating strips of small grain (e.g.

rye) or forage crops (e.g. clover) with row crops like corn. It is used to
control erosion by reducing the velocity of wind and water. The forage
and cereal grain rows tend to trap sediment that may otherwise end up
in watercourses.

Strip cropping is most

effective in controlling erosion
on a slope when it is placed

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along the contour of the land. To control wind erosion, it works best if
the strips are placed at right angles to the direction of the prevailing
winds.

Another benefit of strip cropping is the organic matter added

from the forage or cereal crop rows.

 Windbreaks :

A windbreak or shelterbelt is a vegetation barrier designed to

reduce or eliminate the velocity of the wind and hence reduce wind
erosion. (Windbreaks are also used for snow control and to provide
shelter for buildings and livestock).

A distinction can be made between windbreaks and shelter

belts. Windbreaks consist of one to five rows of trees or shrubs; shelter
belts are six or more rows wide.

Windbreaks are generally planted on the west, southwest, or

northwest boundary of a field to provide protection from prevailing
winds. The protection is
maximized downwind of the
barrier, where the wind speed
is significantly reduced for a
distance of 15 to 20 times the
height of the trees. The
windward side of the break
receives protection for 3 to 5
times the total height.

The benefits of both

windbreaks and shelter belts
extend far beyond just erosion
control. Crop quality and livestock performance are improved due to
less abrasion from blowing soil. Tree and shrub rows significantly
increase the aesthetics of the landscape which is proven by higher land
values. They also trap snow in the winter and thus provide a higher
moisture content for the growing season.

A major benefit of windbreaks is their enhancement of wildlife

habitat. They provide places to roost, nest and seek cover from
predators from harsh winter climate. The damage some animals do to
crops is balanced by the role others play in controlling insects or
unwanted rodents like mice.

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 Crop Rotation :
Crop Rotation is an alternative to planting a field in the same
crop year after year (referred to as continuous mono-shelterbelts
culture cropping). Instead, the main crop is rotated, ideally
with cereal crops like winter wheat or forages such as
clover and alfalfa.

Crop rotation provides several benefits.

Rotation reduces the risk of insect and
disease problems, thus decreasing a
pesticide dependency. Because the crop is
changed each year, pests do not have
enough time to become established in
damaging numbers.

Forage crops or legumes such as clover and alfalfa

are often used as green fertilizers or plow-down crops, meaning
they are planted and later mixed in with the soil as a natural fertilizer
and soil builder. Legumes have the special ability to take in
atmospheric nitrogen and convert it to forms usable by other plants.
(Atmospheric nitrogen is not in a form available to most plants). For
this reason they are also referred to as nitrogen fixing plants.

When used as a green fertilizer, legumes return a significant

amount of organic matter to the soil. Their deep roots create tunnels
for air and water to enter the soil. All these characteristics in turn
guard the surface against water and wind erosion.

 Cover Crops :

Cover crops are crops planted to reduce the impact of wind and
water on bare soil. They absorb the impact of rain, reduce the speed
of runoff, hold the soil in place, and encourage greater infiltration; and
hence less runoff.

Sweet clover, alfalfa, rye, and winter wheat are common cover
crops. They are planted on areas susceptible to erosion like steep
slopes; stream and river banks, grassed waterways or around wells to
protect ground water supplies from contamination. Winter wheat or
rye are often planted to provide cover over the winter and 95 to 100
percent erosion control during the spring runoff.

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Intercropping involves mixing plants in a field - for example

planting legumes between rows of corn or soybean. This technique
may be used by a farmer who cannot afford to take his or her entire
crop of corn out of production.

The principles of soil conservation coincide with wildlife

habitat preservation.

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 Buffer Strips :

A buffer strip is an area of land adjacent to a watercourse that

is vegetated with grasses or bushes. The plant cover filters sediment
out of runoff, holds the soil in place and prevents washout, slumping,
and reductions in water
quality due to siltation. Buffer
strips are generally 2 to 5
meters wide. (The width
varies according to soil
texture and slope). They
should be protected from
tillage, machinery and cattle
access to work effectively.

Aside from erosion

control, buffer strips provide
excellent wildlife habitat for
small animals and insects. If forested, they can improve stream
habitat by shading the water and making the environment more
suitable to fish species like trout. The leaves that fall into the water
provide organic matter for small stream invertebrates which are in turn
food for larger stream animals like crayfish. Stream-side forests are
extremely productive habitats for wildlife, and like shelter belts, they
also improve the aesthetic quality of the environment.

 Terrace :

A terrace is a constructed earthen ridge with a water channel

along the upper side. There are several design options, but commonly
both the ridge and channel are

permanently grassed. Terraces are

designed to intercept runoff on a slope,
and reduce its erosive action on the soil
down the slope. Water is channeled at
a slower speed, along the vegetated
channel to a safe, stable outlet such as
a grassed waterway or standpipe or
drop inlet.

 Natural Fertilizers :

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Natural fertilizers include live stock manure, mulch, municipal

sludge, and legume plants such as alfalfa or clover. Manure and sludge
are applied by spre

Bank stabilization
consists of any
measure used to hold
soil in place on the
bank or a
watercourse. Here
waves, stream
current, ice and
surface runoff can
scour away the soil.

The benefits of bank stabilization are reduced soil erosion, better

water quality and an increased aesthetic environment.

Three common methods used to control stream bank erosion are

rip rap, gabion baskets and re-vegetation. The first two methods use
loose rock to break the impact of stream water on the bank, and to
protect the underlying loose soil surface. Rip rap is loose rock on a
steep bank. An advantage of rip rap is the rock will give to the
pressure of ice and frost, whereas concrete might crack. 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.

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Stream banks can also be stabilized with shoreline planting.

Natural grasses, shrubs, and trees slow the movement of water over
the soil, and trap 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 :

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
of organisms 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.

 Integrated Pest Management :

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.

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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 a safer

environment and reduced costs for pesticide purchase are
indisputable.

 Summary :
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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