Save Our Soil From Erosion
Brice Danvide
EAP 2, Writer’s Workshop
Heidi Wright
Thursday 28, 2008
Abstract
The topic of this paper is Soil Erosion. It argues that human all over the world should save our soil from erosion by adequate methods. There are two ways of stopping soil erosion. The first is about wind erosion and we have windbreak, ground cover and the second one is flowing water: counter ploughing and terracing. These methods are used to save soil from erosion.
Brice Danvide
EAP 2 Writer’s Workshop
Ms. Wright
Research paper proposal
first draft
February 19, 2008
Soil Erosion
How can human beings possibly fix their feet on the ground if they were no soil on earth? Soil is a basic component of hearth that existed since the homosapiens prehistoric age. Soil is a part of nature, part of the environment and soil structure allow human beings, animals to live on it. Soil is a treasure that human beings should cherish with precaution and wisely use its resources. There are four ways of saving soil from erosion wind and water: windbreak, ground cover, contour ploughing and terracing.
Soil is “a complex mixture of inorganic materials (clay, silt, pebbles, and sand), decaying organic matter, water, air, and billions of living organisms” (“Soil: The Base of Life”, 1994, para.1). According to Leopold (1949), land is not only made of soil but also by a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants and animals. It means soil is not just soil but it is all system that works according to nature Then soil erosion is “the movement of soil components, especially surface-litter and topsoil, from one place to another” (“Soil Erosion”, 1994, para.1). We have two main agents of erosion which are flowing water (by far the major cause of erosion) and wind. According to a group of scientists (OMAFRA Staff; G. Wall - Ontario Institute of Pedology; C.S. Baldwin - Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology; I.J. Shelton – Ontario Institute of Pedology), ( 2003), “soil erosion maybe a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing serious loss of topsoil”. When we lose our topsoil, it makes our soil more vulnerable to water, wind and less fertile. When erosion occurs, wind take out the sediments that the soil gives and transports them to river. Then water is full of sediment and it taste bad and finally give diseases. Soil erosion has being part of our live for centuries now and there is many ways of saving soil from erosion. Today farmers all over the world use different methods to protect soil from erosion
First, we can save soil from wind erosion by windbreak. Windbreak is when people plant trees all over the land. In “Environment: Problems & Solutions” the author says that “wind erosion can be reduced by planting long rows of trees so that they partially block the wind. Windbreaks are specially effective if uncultivated land is kept covered with vegetation; they also help retain soil moisture, supply some wood for fuel, and provide habitats for wildlife.”(Miller, 1994, para 8).This can block the wind action to take away the topsoil and conduct it to the river. Topsoil is the good part of the soil that stands against erosion. The planting of trees will help soil by blocking the wind. And if we plant trees all over a land it can really save soil from erosion, because the soil will be covered and if it rains, the tree will stop most of the rain and the soil will be protected. In my country for example, farmers use this method to protect the soil from erosion because it rains a lot and they need this method to be able to produce food during this season. According to this article Warm Cows & Cool Breezes (1998)” the author says that “Windbreak height is the most important factor determining the downwind area protected by the windbreak. On the windward side of a windbreak, wind speeds are reduced upwind for a distance of two to three times the height of the windbreak. On the leeward side the wind speed is reduced as far as 20 times the height. For example, if the tallest trees in a windbreak are 50 feet, wind speeds are reduced up to 150 feet on the windward side and 1000 feet on the leeward side”. As this article says, the most important factor is the height of the downwind area, windbreak is really effective and farmers are really familiar with this method.
Next, soil erosion can be saved by ground cover. Ground cover is when people plant tree that not grow faster and spread quickly to form a dense cover over the land. According to this articlelllllllllllll. When you plant a ground cover under tree, it reduces damage to the base of the tree. There are some ground covers that is used to protect the root of a planted tree and keep it from drying out quickly. The preferable season of planting grounds covers are during the growing season specially during the spring or fall season. By ground covering, the soil will be able to keep his organic moisture, and when animals die, they decompose and it can be used to enrich the soil nutrients.
Furthermore, soil can be saved from water flowing by contour ploughing and terracing.In Environments: problems & Solutions’’ the author says that “ soil erosion can be reduce by 30-50% on gently sloping land and palnting crops in rows across, rather than up and down, the sloped contour of the land. Each row planted horizontally along the contour of the land acts as a small dam to help hold soil and slow the runoff of water.” (Miller,1994, para 4). This mean that this method can reduce by half the erosion by water. Contour ploughing is mainly used for planting crops, trees in rows across and all over the contour of the land. According to this article ”Pulaski County Home and Garden’’ the author says that “As a general rule, plants used as ground covers are evergreen because they are used to provide structure and need to be present year around. However, there are some plants that make great ground covers even if they disappear for the winter months. Daylilies, especially Stella D'Oro with its golden flowers all summer, work great for sunny areas. Hostas provide bold and interesting foliage in the shade from spring through fall” (Phelps.2007). For example grass plant is one of them So we observe how contour ploughing works, it means that there many kind of plants that people use as a cover. In “Soil Erosion” the author says that ‘’the purpose of contour ploughing is to reduce the flow of water across the land surface, thus reducing erosion. The benefits is it reduce erosion by 50% and the restriction is its stepped topography may hinder modern farming practices”(Thames, n.d. p 2,3,4). Planting crops all over the land will stop water to take away the top soil and sediments of the soil, and trees will help the soil because of their roots. Finally, soil can be saved from erosion by terracing.In “Environment: Problems & Solution” the author says that ’’in this practice, a steep slope is converted into a series of broad, nearly level terraces that run across the land contour, with short vertical drops from one terrace to another. Terracing retains water for crops on each terrace and cuts soil erosion by controlling runoff. (Miller, 1994, para 3). “ Terracing consist of covering the soil of terrace at the land contour disposed vertically that stop the water to gain the soil and stop it from eroding. Terracing is one of the best method because it controls the flowing of water. It keeps safe the soil nutrients and save the topsoil from being taking away by water. Among all other method terracing is the best. Terracing is also used as example in my country and specially in my state. Farmers also use this method because basically our soil is vulnerable to water and it rains a lot. Another reason is the topsoil is also gone because of the intensive raining that occurs during a year. It makes the soil becomes rock, without sediments and nutrients to be productive. That’s why farmers use this method for saving the soil from irrigation and it is also used for soil conservation. Terracing used as a soil conservation means, when this method is done and we terrace the soil, it totally protect the soil from losing topsoil and according to this article “Vetiver grass was introduced to St. Vincent as the major soil conservation measure more than 50 years ago. It was used primarily in the sugar industry to stabilize fields of sugarcane, but found its way all over the island as a stabilizer of road cuttings, driveways, pathways, and tracks along hillsides. Whoever introduced the system did an excellent job, as virtually all the small farmers put their vetiver-grass plantings on the contour. This, together with the resulting contour farming, has saved St. Vincent from the ravages of soil erosion” (Greenfield, J.1989, para 1). This practice did an exellent job in St.Vincent and they were able to save their soil from erosion.
Opponents say they were using a different method in the past years. These methods are spraying, synthetic, polymer and glue oil. In “Natural Polymers as Inspiration To make (or improve) polymers” the author states that “people from different parts of the world spun flax to make linen cloth, wore animal hides and fur, used silk worms to make silk, or gathered rubbery gunk that oozed out of the rubber tree. Oh, and don't forget lunch! They also ate starchy foods”.( But there is some restriction with this method which is unused of tractors. Tractors can not bee used in that case; because crops are planted all over the land and it makes the use of tractors impossible. It will be difficult for farmers to work land without tractors and the work will be more difficult.
Saving soil from erosion is much known these days and farmers know how to deal with it. They are many ways of saving soil from erosion. We can never stop soil from eroding because it is a natural process.The only thing that we can do is preventing it from erosion. We have to stop soil from erosion because it is the source of our food and without it we can not have a good quality food.
References
Leopold, A. ( 1949). Soils quotations, Natural Resources
Conservation Services Articles. Retrieved February 13, 2008 , from
http://www.soils.usda.gov/education/resources/k_12/quotes/
Omafra staff,Wall. G,Ontario Institute of Pedology, Baldwin. C.S,
Ridgetown college of Agricultural Technology, Shelton, I.J, Ontario
Institute of Pedology ( 2006, Nov 21). Soil erosion - causes and
effects. FACTSHEET magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2008,
from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/87-
040.htm
Palmer, B. (1998, March). Warms Cows & Cool Breezes. MISSOURI
CONSERVATIONIST. Retrieved February 27, 2008, from
http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/1998/03/50.htm
Phelpes, B.( 2007, April 4th). Pulaski Home and Garden. University of Arkansas –
Division of Agriculture. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from
http://www.uaex.edu/Pulaski/HG/Ground_Covers.htm
Thames.(n.d.). Contour Ploughing.thamesweb. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from
http://www.thamesweb.com/page.php?page_id=27&topic_id=16
Greefield, J.( 1989). St. Vincent Vetiver. Soil Conservation
Practice In the Caribbean Archipelago. Retrieved February 28, from
http://www.vetiver.org/LAVN_CARIB.htm
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