According with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (2007), “Our soil resource is vital to the survival of the human race” (para.1). Soil erosion is when the soil is moved from one place to another by the action of wind or water. Collins (2001) writes, “Soil erosion is a natural process. It becomes a problem when human activity causes it to occur much faster than under natural conditions” (Soil Erosion, 2001, para. 1). Soil erosion should be stopped before it does not have a solution. How can we stop soil erosion? It is very important to find a solution for this problem because soil gives us everything that we need to survive such as food. According to the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (2007), “Because damages to soil quality are nearly always permanent, preservation of this resource is critically important to maintaining agricultural productivity and environmental quality” (para.1). Investigators and environmentalists have been found many possible solutions for erosion. Some of these solutions are better that others and also some of these are not use anymore. These solutions are terracing, ground cover, windbreaks, gully reclamation and synthetic polymers.
Miller, G. T. (1994), says “Soil is a complex mixture of inorganic materials (clay, pebbles, and sand), decaying organic matter, water, air, and billions of living organisms” (para.1). Miller, G. T. (1994), “In addition to food, soil provides us with wood, paper, cotton, and medicines, and it helps purify the water we drink and decompose and recycle biodegradable wastes” (para.2). “Soil erosion is a complex process encompassing detachment, transport, and deposition, and is caused by wind, water and physical disturbance” (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 2007, para.8). Favis-Mortlock (2007), writes “Soil erosion has been occurring for some 450 million years, since the first land plants formed the first soil” (para. 1). Soil erosion is not new as natural process but it is new problems since the human produce it faster than natural. Favis-Mortlock (2007), says, “Soil erosion reduces land productivity, challenges agricultural sustainability, and degrades soil, air and water quality” (para.8). To combat soil erosion fist we need to find the cause of it and then find the best solution that focus in that cause of the problem. Miller, G. T. (1994), “The two main agents of erosion are flowing water and (by far the major cause of soil erosion) and wind” (para. 4). To find easily a good plan for any problem we first need a very specific objetive.
One of the biggest producers of the soil erosion is water that can be from rain storms, snow and others. In the article Erosion control, (2008) claims, “We can't avoid rain storms, but we can reduce the erosion they cause. One of the solutions to stop soil erosion is terracing. Slopping areas are the ones that terracing stops from soil erosion. This treatment solves the problem of soil erosion caused by the water. This procedure reduces the speed of water that takes parts of soil and produces soil erosion. In the article Erosion control, (2008) says why terracing is effective, “The level steps of a terrace reduces the velocity water by stopping the water from flowing down hill. By slowing the movement of water, terraces gives the water time to seep into the ground” (para.6). Terracing an effective treatment for soil erosion is becoming more succesful.
Next, In the article Erosion control, (2008), explains “The key to stopping erosion is to anchor the soil in place and to slow down the water moving across it” (para. 3). One of the solutions that produce this to stop soil erosion is ground cover. Ground cover consists in planting certain kind of vegetation in the ground. This vegetation will make the soil stable. The underlying purpose of this method is to undercover the soil with grass, trees and other types vegetation. Maine Deparment of Enviromental Protection, (2005), writes “The first step is to stop soil from moving in the first place. Keep soil undercover...” (para. 14). There are many kinds of ground cover such as grass, shrubs and trees. This method is very convenient, cheap and easy to start. This is a kind of method which does not need specialist to install the equipment because the equipment is plants. Ground cover is cheap because we can find seeds in our fruit residues. For example, we can leave the grass that grows after rain such as wild grass. This grass will be ground cover and will have advantages for soil such as keep the soil on the ground. This method not only has the benefit of stop soil erosion. Ground cover also has some benefits for the environment. In the article Erosion control, (2008) writes “This cover has many other benefits including the addition of organic matter, aesthetic value, wildlife benefits, absorption of rain water, and many others” (para. 13). One method can solve more problems that we think it does.
In addition, there is another treatment to stop soil erosion this is windbreak. This treatment stops the soil erosion that is caused by the wind. Windbreaks are based in trees and shrubs which are going to reduce the speed of the wind. As a result the wind will not take away parts of the soil and produce soil erosion. Windbreaks have effects in the environment but these effects are not harmful. According with Brandle (2006), “Windbreaks are barriers used to reduce and redirect wind. They usually consist of trees and shrubs, but may also be perennial or annual crops and grasses, fences, or other materials. The reduction in wind speed behind a windbreak modifies the environmental conditions or microclimate in the sheltered zone” (para.1). Windbreak is a treatment that needs more work than ground cover because sometimes it uses materials such as fences, barriers and others. Moreover, the quality of work that windbreaks do is determinated by their structure. Brandle (2006), explains “Windbreak structure -- height, density, number of rows, species composition, length, orientation, and continuity -- determines the effectiveness of a windbreak in reducing wind speed and altering the microclimate” (para.2). This method also has similarities with ground cover because uses natural resources such as trees to stop the wind. Most of the methods to stop soil erosion use natural sources.
Another solution for soil erosion is gully reclamation. Gully is a hole on the earth and needs to be covered. The main purpose of gully reclamation is to cover the hole which is caused by erosion. Environmental Consulting Services (2001), gives a definition of gully reclamation “Small dams, usually 0.4 to 2.0 m in height, made from locally available materials such as earth, wooden planks, brushwood or loose rock, are build across gullies to trap sediments and thereby reduce channel depth and slope (para. 1)”. This treatment helps soil from erosion caused by water. Environmental Consulting Services (2001), “The practical session will be held on a catchment for a dam which is due for rehabilitation in the lowveld of Swaziland” (para. 1). Gully reclamation is an expert solution to make the soil stable.
There is another method to stop soil erosion this is shyntetic polymers. This method consists in spray synthetic polymers such as glue to the soil to make it stable. However, nowadays synthetic polymers are not used anymore. When a product or method goes out of business it is not for a good reason. Many times is because the product has something wrong and it needs to be repaired. Because in other way will affect consumers in this case soil. Cargle (1986), argues that “however, the polymer’s function is to control the drifting of the resinous binders, which are primarily natural or syntetic rubbers, rather that providing dust control” (para. 2). However, today there are so many possible solutions for this problem that do not use chemical products like synthetic polymers. Ground cover is one of these methods which are natural process. With Ground cover and other methods we only need to plant vegetation which helps soil to be stable and to do not go away. Also windbreaks is a good method to stop soil erosion and does not need chemical products. This method uses trees to slow down the speed of the wind that takes away soil. In addition terracing is a good plan to stop soil erosion from water. Last, gully reclamation covers holes on the ground caused by soil erosion. These holes are a consequense of soil erosion from water.
In conclusion, there are 4 solutions to stop soil erosion. To decide which the best solution is for certain problem we need to follow some rules. One of important rules is to focus in the causes of the problem so you will find a specific solution for it. Another thing is that the best solution also depends on your own necessities. For some farmers one method is better and for others not because different necessities. For example, in soil erosion, when is caused by wind you need to find solutions that fulfill the objective. There are solutions for soil erosion caused by wind such as windbreaks. Other solutions stop soil erosion caused by water these are gully reclamation and terracing. Also there are solutions which stop soil erosion from water and wind such as ground cover. All of these solutions have differences in process and are made for certain causes of erosion such as wind or water. We can start using methods stop soil erosion in our backyards. There are some methods that are cheap, convenient and easy to use.
References
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (2002, December), In
defense of soil and water resources in the United States: soil erosion
research priorities. Retrieved February 14, 2008, from http://asabe.org/
Brandle, J. (2006 April), Windbreaks. Retrieved February 20, 2008, from
http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/
Cargle, V. (1986 June), Method for soil stabilization and fugitive dust control.
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http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4592931.html
Collins, J. (2001, February). Soil erosion. Retrieved February 14, 2008, from
http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/
Environmental Consulting Services (2001 November), Construction and
maintenance of erosion control structure. In Soil erosion control training
manual. Retrieved February 20, 2008, from
http://www.ecs.co.sz/env_articles_soilerosion.htm
Favis-Mortlock, D. (2007, May). About soil erosion. Retrieved February 14,
2008, from http://soilerosion.net/.
Maine Deparment of Enviromental Protection, (2005), Soil erosion. Retrieved
February 18, 2008, from http://www.state.me.us/
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, (2008). Erosion control. Retrieved February
20, 2008, from http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/LUESA/Home.htm
Miller, G. T. (1994). Environment: problems and solutions. California: Wadsworth
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