Soil conservation

Comprehensive soil conservation is more than just the control of erosion. It also includes
the maintenance of organic matter and nutrients in soil. Soil conservation practices also
prevent the buildup of toxic substances in the soil, such as salts and excessive amounts of
pesticides. Soil conservation maintains or improves soil fertility, as well as its tilth, or
structure. These all increase the capacity of the land to support the growth of plants on a
sustainable basis.

There are two basic approaches to soil erosion control: barrier and cover. The barrier
approach uses banks or walls such as earthen structures, grass strips, or hedgerows to
check runoff, wind velocity, and soil movement. Barrier techniques are commonly used
all over the world.

The cover approach maintains a soil cover of living and dead plant material. This cover
lessens the impact and runoff of rain water, and decreases the amount of soil carried with
it. This may be done through the use of cover crops, mulch, minimum tillage, or
agroforestry.

Soil conservation is the need of the hour. With increased exploitation and pollution,
erosion, decreased fertility and soil intoxication has led to a massive imbalance in the
ecosystem. With excessive usage of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides to increase
crop yield, we are conveniently neglecting the permanent damage being caused to the
soil's fertility.

Listed below are a few soil conservation techniques that can be adopted on a small and
large-scale basis to conserve soil and its resources:

Step Farming And Counter Plowing Of Crops: This method can be adopted in areas
where agriculture and farming is practiced on a large-scale. Cultivating land and
designing it in the form of steps or elevated land structures will prevent water run off.
This will help plants absorb water better, prevent run-off of essential nutrients along with
soil layers, in turn preventing soil erosion.

Forestation: Planting trees, saplings, shrubs, herbs, creepers in residential areas is a great
way to prevent erosion. Plants fix the soil on the ground, prevent them from being blown
away. Trees act as wind barriers slowing down the speed of air, which, in turn, prevents
soil from getting blown away.

Enriching The Earth: Earthworms are soil's best friends. They convert dead organisms,
litter and foliage into organic matter rich in nutrients, thereby enriching soil fertility.
They also make the soil porous by digging inside. This way they help in intermixing of
different layers of soil, making them fertile. They also make the soil porous, aerating
them allowing air and water to pass through.