01/23/2019
I’ve worked for the local soil and water conservation district for about seven years now and from the start I’ve heard that we are one of the best kept secrets in state and local government. Ask most anyone in your county, “who are your soil & water conservation district supervisors” and “what do they do” and you’ll get a shoulder shrug. Well it’s time for change. It’s time to kick up some dirt. Time to make some noise for our soil.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts were created during the Dust Bowl era after the soils in our country had been severely degraded by tillage and chemicals. When drought hit, the wind blew degraded soil away. When rain finally returned it eroded the unprotected soil as well. Abuse of our soil continues today. Chemicals, frequent disturbance and compaction of the soil, high rates of inorganic salt fertilizers all degrade soil biology and structure. Our nation still needs to heed the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt who said, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.”
Your soil & water district supervisors oversee programs that “foster voluntary incentive driven management of soil, water and related natural resources for the benefit of the environment, economy and all citizens.” Find out who they are and given them a pat on the back because they don’t get paid for the job.
The problem is soil is not glamorous or exciting to the average person. It can be squishy, sticky and messy. The particles are small. Soil doesn’t move on its own or have big puppy eyes. It is usually covered, hidden and unnoticed. Most folks think it is just sand, silt, clay and rock – mineral by definition.
But the soil is vibrant! It is alive with bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, micro-arthropods, earthworms, and critters in numbers almost too great to comprehend. It nurtures and anchors plants that produce food and oxygen for us. Soil filters pollutants from our water and stores water too. We cannot cover our soil in concrete and rooftops and expect to live happily and healthily.
Now let’s talk about water. Water gets most of the news coverage and it is not good news. You have water pollution, drought, stormwater flooding, tsunamis, wastewater and more. Usually it’s water causing a problem. Like soil, most of us don’t think about water until there is a problem. We turn the spigot and clean water comes out then it disappears down the drain when we’re done.
I think most of us understand soil and water are important. We just haven’t thought about sustainable management. For most of us in this country and this generation water has been clean and plentiful, so we take it granted. The soil has been mined for nutrients then amended with fertilizers to maintain agricultural production. This management has slowly degraded our soils allowing weeds, pests, and diseases to stress and even destroy our crops. The chemicals used to control these pests are toxic, persistent and move thru the environment. Land development activities compact the soil reducing infiltration and increasing stormwater runoff. As population multiplies and development expands we degrade these resources faster than nature can repair the damage. We need to start investing in ways to sustain these resources. I think we could all benefit from a little public awareness when it comes to soil and water conservation. Your county soil & water conservation district can help.
There is a lot you can do especially if you are a landowner. Reach out to conservation professionals before you disturb the soil, or apply chemicals and fertilizer. Keep the soil covered and protected. Disturb the soil as little as possible. Use diverse species of plants in areas where structures aren’t covering the soil. If we care for the soil using sustainable best management practices we will reap the benefits for our generation and generations to come.
