Why Care About Soil Erosion?
Of all the earth’s crustal resources, the one we take most for granted is soil. We are terrestrial animals and depend on soil for life, yet most of us think of it only in negative terms. English is unique in using “soil” as an interchangeable word for both earth and excrement.6 The truth is that soil is a wonderful, complex, and living resource that we cannot afford to take for granted. There are 20,000 different soil types in the United States and many thousands more worldwide.7 Soils vary depending upon the needs of the climate. Some soils are better suited from growing certain plants than other soils. Once soil is depleted from an area, it is very difficult and expensive to restore to the point that it is considered virtually impossible to restore soil. Areas which were once plush and green are now a barren desert. This is called desertification. Soil also becomes unusable for growing crops when nutrients are depleted. Without using sustainable growing methods our soil is quickly be
