1. Soil Conservation

2. Is Soil a Natural Resource?
Everything that lives on land depends on the soil
Fertile soil is highly valuable
Hundreds of years to form
12% of the surface has fertile soil

3. How can we damage the soil?
Over-farming causes loss of fertility
Removing vegetation causes erosion
Erosion causes loss of topsoil
George Washington Carver
Dust Bowl

4. How can we protect the soil?
Through conservation: management of soil to prevent its destruction
Contour plowing
Conservation plowing
Crop rotation

5. Contour Plowing
Using curves on a hill instead of a straight line to prevent water runoff and soil erosion

6. Conservation Plowing
Only plowing where crops will be planted

7. Crop Rotation
Planting different crops each year

8. Crop Rotation
Corn and cotton use a lot of nutrients to grow Oats, Barley or Rye use fewer nutrients to grow Alfalfa, beans, and peanuts restore nutrients to the soil.