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The real scoop on soil for Earth DayTexas Soil, the living land beneath our feet, is often overlooked in our everyday lives and few realize what an important role it plays--from producing the food we eat to the fiber we wear to supporting the houses we live in and roads we drive on. On this Earth Day, let's not walk over the soil without giving it a second look. Soil is the solid material of Earth's surface that results from the interaction of weather and biological activities and is produced from broken down rocks, organic matter (decayed animal and plant life), water, and air. It can take more than 500 years to form one inch of topsoil, which is the upper layer of soil, usually the top two to eight inches. It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms, and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs. Plants generally concentrate their roots in, and obtain most of their nutrients from this layer. Nearly 21,000 soil types are found in the United States and Texas has more than 1,300 different soil types. All soil types consist of varying amounts of silt, sand and clay and each soil type is suited for a different use. Some soils can support the massive weight of buildings, shopping centers, airport and highways; while other soils are better for crops and rangeland or for wildlife habitats or forests. Protecting the soil beneath us Since soils are so important to life and our environment, how can we protect our soil from wind, rain and man-made erosion? Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process on all land, but the impact from erosion can be controlled and reduced through implementing conservation practices at home, work, and on agricultural lands. Rainwater running over your property can carry soil away from gardens, plant beds, and other exposed areas, causing erosion problems in your yard and water quality problems in local streams and rivers. One of the easiest ways to prevent soil loss at home is to add a layer of mulch over exposed soil. Not only does mulching prevent erosion, but it also helps to maintain a constant soil temperature, conserves moisture in the soil, and prevents weed growth. Other "Earth" saving tips for homeowners and landowners: --Minimize the soil exposed during landscaping or construction. --Control soil erosion on your property by planting ground cover or seeding to stabilize erosion-prone areas. --Follow label instructions for pesticides, fertilizers and other lawn applications to ensure excess does not run-off into drainage ditches or storm drains. --Consider xeriscaping, landscaping designed to minimize the need for water use. More tips for conserving your backyard can be found on the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service's website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard. Farmers and ranchers can work with their local NRCS to have their property evaluated without a fee to see what options are available to them to protect their natural resources while meeting their management goals. A site specific plan can be developed that helps landowners optimize their production while protecting and improving the soil, water, air, plants, and animals on their property. Conservation practices that might be included in a plan are contour plowing, strip cropping, terracing, prescribed burning, rotational grazing, pasture or hayland planting, brush control, wildlife habitat management and water developments like ponds, troughs and pipelines. Farmers and ranchers, with assistance from the NRCS and its conservation partners, reduced the Nation's annual soil loss from 3.1 billion tons in 1982 to 1.8 billion tons in 2001. For more information on urban or rural conservation efforts, visit the Texas NRCS website at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov. To learn more about the soil you have underneath your feet, visit the NRCS Web Soil Survey website at websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov, which provides soil data, maps and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Date: 4/21/08
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