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SOIL CONSERVATION

Name: Marwin F. Barroa

Section: H12-D

I. Rationale: SOIL CONSERVATION

The role that soil plays in the survival of human begins can never be over emphasized. From soil is

produced all our basic requirements such as food, fuel, fodder, fiber and housing materials. Yet, the soil is
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subjected to gross negligence, mismanagement and even abuse by human beings. Consequently, soil is losing its

productivity. The maltreatment to soil has led to its erosion on a vast scale. Erosion is the physical loss of the top

soil or upper most layer of the soil which is the most important part of the soil sustaining all the life activities of

plant and animal kingdom. Loss of top layer of soil means loss of soil for all practical purposes. Under natural

conditions it takes about 300 to 1000 years to generate one inch thick layer of top soil. We are losing this precious

natural resource by not protecting it against erosion.

As a natural habitat of all the living beings, soil is a basic resource for all our agricultural activities.

Fortunately, our country is blessed with a variety of soils and climate. Therefore, soils can sustain a variety of

vegetation and produce handsome amount of food, fiber and wood. But today, when the pressure of human

activities has built up beyond the carrying capacity of the soil, overuse and misuse of this precious resource has set

in. Over the large areas in our country, forest cover has been destroyed. Demand for fuel and wood is in teasing

day by day. Need is felt to bring more and more land under cultivation. Shifting cultivation is still going on. Pressure

on arable land is mounting with rapid pace. All these activities tend to accelerate soil erosion.

Soil Conservation is the name given to a handful of techniques aimed at preserving the soil. Soil conservation is the

prevention of soil loss from erosion or reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other

chemical soil contamination. Slash-and-burn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are

practiced in some lesser developed areas. A sequel to the deforestation is typically large scale erosion, loss of soil

nutrients and sometimes total desertification.

The purpose of soil conservation is not merely to preserve the soil but to maintain its productive capacity

while using it. Soil covered with concrete is preserved, but its ability to produce crops is lost in the process.

Intensive cropping uses the soil but often causes erosion on sloping land. Land needs to be managed for long-term

usefulness as well as for current needs; that is, its use should be sustainable.

Statement of the problem

1. What are the factors of soil problems?

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2. How soil can be conserve?

Soil loss and loss of soil fertility can be traced back to a number of causes including over-use, erosion,

salinization and chemical contamination. Unsustainable subsistence farming and the slash and burn clearing

methods used in some less developed regions, can often cause deforestation, loss of soil nutrients, erosion on a

massive scale and sometimes even complete desertification.

II. Factors Affecting Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a process in which soil particles are detached and transported away from their original

places to the sites where they are of little agricultural value. The process is carried out mainly by two agents; the

air and the water. There are certain factors which affect the extent and intensity of erosion of a soil. These can be

bri~t1y discussed as under.

A. Climate

Rainfall, temperature and wind are the main climatic factors influencing soil erosion. If the amount of rain

water is in excess to the absorption capacity of the soil, movement of water on soil surface starts (run-oft). Run-off

water contains soil particles, the amount depending upon the intensity of rainfall. If the torrential rainfall is

accompanied with blowing, severity of erosion is increased. Strong beating action of raindrops, detach the soil

particles. Small particles go down and choke the pores of surface soil thereby reducing the permeability of soil to

the water. The particles on the upper most soil surface are drained away along with run-off water. An extensive

rainfall of long duration may not cause excessive erosion. Similarly, an intensive short duration rainfall may not

produce sufficient run- off to cause erosion. When both amount and intensity factors are high in a given storm run

off, erosion will be serious.

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On a broad climatic basis, temperature affects the type and amount of vegetative cover that exists. The

same amount of precipitation may be more effective in producing vegetative cover in cool climates than in warm

climate. The soils of warm climatic zones contain less amount of organic matter as it is decomposed rapidly due to

high temperature. Therefore, the soils of these regions! are more susceptible to erosion. On the other hand, light

temperature! reduces the viscosity of water, thus increasing its infiltration or i percolation into the soil.

B. Topography

Slopes are the most vulnerable to soil erosion. The intensity of erosion of a soil depends upon the degree

or percentage of the slope and on the length of the slope. Greater the degree and length of the slope, the greater

will be the soil erosion. Investigations have shown that if the land slope is increased by two times, the velocity of

water flowing over it will be doubled. When the velocity is doubled, erosion capacity of the water is increased by 4

times, the amount of soil particles of a given size that can be carried is increased by approximately 32 times and

the size of a soil particles that can be transported by pushing or rolling is increased by about 64 times.

If the slope of the land is across the direction of wind, wind erosion will be high.

C. Vegetation

Vegetation has direct impact on the amount of soil erosion. Where vegetation is dominant, other factors

may not have accountable influence on the intensity of soil erosion. Vegetation prevents the soil erosion in many

ways.

1. Widespread foliage of the plants intercepts the falling raindrop. The force with which raindrops hit the soil, is

greatly reduced. Some portion of the rainfall is upheld by foliage and evaporated there itself.
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2. If the rainfall is heavy enough to produce run-off on soil surface, growing vegetation acts as physical barrier to

moving water. The speed of the water movement on soil surface is reduced. The water movement is slow enough

to allow the soil particles suspended in it to settle down on the soil surface. Loss of soil by erosion is thereby

greatly reduced. Soil absorbs greater amount of rain water.

3. Roots of crops, especially fibrous root system of grasses, keep the soil particles bound together by their knitting

and binding action and prevent the soil against erosion. After harvesting the vegetation, roots are left in the soil to

decay. After decaying, roots leave air spaces in the soil which facilitate downward movement of water in the soil.

Decayed product of roots called 'humus' also helps in binding the soil particles together. A cubic meter of soil

allowing growth of vegetation, may contain several kilometers in length of root fibers.

4. Soils having well grown vegetation provide suitable shelter to a lot of useful organisms. Soils under thick forest

cover allow prolific growth of earthworms, beetles, etc. These organisms improve soil aeration and permeability.

When they die, they provide organic matter to the soil and help in development of good soil structure resistant to

erosion.

5. Vegetation also contributes to the water absorbing capacity of the soil by transpiring water. If the water

absorption capacity of the soil is increased, run-off of the water on the soil surface is decreased and, consequently,

loss of soil along with run-off water is also reduced.

6. Standing vegetation creates physical hindrance to blowing air and saves the soil from wind erosion.
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D. Soil

Erosion of a soil also depends upon the soil properties. Soils which are quite permeable to water, leave

little water for run off and are, therefore, fairly resistant to erosion. In compact soils, runoff rate is very high and

surface soil is easily washed off. Soils rich in organic manure are resistant to beating action of raindrops or blowing.

Very fine clay particles of soils can be easily transported by moving water but it is difficult to detach them from the

soil blocks. Big sized sand particles are difficult to transport by water by severe winds can blow them away and

deposit them on fertile sites. Find sandy loams soils are the most desirable from the point of view of erosion

resistance. Their particles are not fine enough to be washed out so easily. They can not be detached easily by

moving water and wind.

III. CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES

The practices used for conserving soil and water are many and varied. Some practices are expensive and

some only require new habits; some are permanent and some are temporary; some are limited to very specific

conditions whereas others are widely useful, although none have universal application. The amount of soil and

water saved varies from one practice to another and from one set of circumstances to another.

Forest conservation

The forest trees provide protect to the soil and hold the rapid flow of surface water giving it time to

penetrate the surface of the ground. Thus most of the rainfall is absorbed by the soil where in it drains slowly into

the creeks and rivers as cool and clear water. The soil is a great water reservoir and if properly protected flooding

in the lowlands will be minimized. Reforestation and prevention of the kaingin system of farming should be strictly

observed.

Crop cover
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Idle fields specially those on slopes, should not be allowed to remain bear with no protection of the soil

from the rain. Fruit and forest trees must be planted on the contours. Grasses and legumes should be

used as cover crops.

Buffer strip planting

Buffer strips are narrow strips planted between contour strips. Ipil-ipil is planted on the buffer lands to

protect and improve the soil. The space between the buffer lands are planted either to upland rice, corn,

or citrus on slope 10 to 25 percent.

Contour strip cropping

The field is divided into contour strips which allow plowing and other farm operations on the contour.

Seasonal crops like upland rice and corn which are erosion permitting plants are alternately planted in

strips with close growing crops or erosion preventing crops

Crop rotation and green manuring

They systematic planting of different crops in succession on the farm will help improve the structure of

the soil. If crop rotation is done with mongo or soybean or other deep rooted plants, good soil structure

can be resorted and the rapid intake of water into the soil is promoted, thus minimizing soil erosion.

Crop rotation and green manuring

They systematic planting of different crops in succession on the farm will help improve the structure of

the soil. If crop rotation is done with mongo or soybean or other deep rooted plants, good soil structure

can be resorted and the rapid intake of water into the soil is promoted, thus minimizing soil erosion.

Terracing

Terraces are embankments built across the slope on a specific grade to intercept the run-off and hold it

temporarily, either to give a greater chance to be absorbed by the soil or to drain off slowly to well

protected water ways.

Fertilization and liming

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Judicious is of fertilizers that will replenish soil fertility should be observed in order to increase the yield.

Lime is applied to reduce soil activity.

Gully control

Gullies are planted with erosion resisting plants to prevent soil erosion.

Organic matter application

Soils high in organic matter can absorb more water than those with less. Increasing the organic matter

through the application of farm manure, green manuring and other farm refuse will help minimize the

run-off and thus reduce soil erosion. Moreover , the fertility of the soil is likewise enriched.

IV. Importance of soil conservation

Most people know that they need clean air and clean water to stay healthy. Fewer people realize that

their well-being also depends on the health of the soil. Soil supports the growth of most of our food and fiber, so

its productivity is a major factor in the economies of Canada and other nations.

But soil also has a much broader, global role. Soil acts as a filter, cleaning air and water. It exchanges gases

with the atmosphere and thus influences the global climate. Soil receives organic wastes and recycles their

nutrients back to plants; it also holds and breaks down some toxic wastes. Because soil plays such a key role in

world health, economics and environmental stability, we must conserve it and use it in a sustainable manner.

V. Conclusion

People are directly dependent upon agriculture, land is of an immense value. It would be crime against

nature as well as millions of underfed if we recklessly allow the loss of their precious natural gift i.e. soil.
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For a social activist, it should be a responsibility to build up awareness among the people so that they

themselves are motivated to take preventive as well as curative measures. At least the low cost conservation

measures such as farming across the slope, strip cropping, contour farming, crop rotation, etc. can easily be

adopted I- even by the poorest among the poor farmer's community of the country.

VI. Recommendations

To avoid future flood disasters, flood management and flood mitigation plans are needed to be able to

react swiftly to areas threatened by flooding. A monitoring system is required to assess, on a continuous basis, the

areas affected by floods and to have emergency measures plan to reduce the damage of exceptional floods. Land

use changes in upstream catchment can increase severe flooding on downstream territory. But, not only flood

disaster can occur, also large debris flows can happen and damage settlements. Further investigations should also

consider the possibility of debris flow and debris floods in the area.

I. References

What is soil conservation

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/methods-of-soil-conservation.php

Soil and Water Conservation for Productivity and Environmental Protection

file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/70306880-Soil-Water-Conservation.pdf

 Soil Conservation & Forest Resource

https://www.scribd.com/doc/23964080/Soil-Conservation

Introduction To Soil Conservation

https://www.scribd.com/document/317966006/Introduction-to-Soil-Conservation-47
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