we report

SOIL CONSERVATION AND LAND CONTROL

· Conventional-tillage farming- land is plowed, disked several times, and smoothed to make a planting surface.
· Conservation-tillage farming

a. minimum-tillage farming- special tillers break up and loosen the subsurface soil without turning over the topsoil.

b. no-till farming- special planting machines inject seeds, fertilizers, and weed killers into slits made in the unplowed soil.
· Contour farming- plowing and planting across, rather than up and down, the sloped contour of the land.
· Terracing- used on steepen slopes.
· Strip cropping- series of rows of one crop such as corn or soybeans, is planted in a wide strip; then the next strip is planted with a cover crop, such as alfalfa, which completely covers the soil and thus reduces erosion.
· Wind breaks/shelter belts- long rows of trees are planted to partially block wind.
· Zoning- various parcels of land are designated for certain uses.

Research in Urban Soils

Research and development is a critical part of any soil interpretation. The mechanistic soil processes for a foundation for recognizing changes in those processes as soil behavior changes. Inputs to the soil system greatly influence the dynamics of soil processes at a very detailed level and many interactions occur that are difficult to measure. Four major areas of research for interpretations in urban soils are:

1) heavy metal toxicity,
2) landscape, hydrology, and related transport of sediment & chemicals,
3) biological transformations of waste/new boundaries, and
4) infiltration linked to heavy use and management.

A systems approach to these research areas is the focus of ecosystem studies, although urban customers often hold deep concerns for specific soil behaviors (lead toxicity, dust inhalation, mud transfer) that are seen as the controlling the whole system. The challenge is to address customer's specific concerns while setting those concerns in the timeframe and the larger context of the ecosystem. Monitoring projects for soils, such as those for streams or water quality, need a base of scientific method so that urban customers can tell when and how they have answered their own questions. The management choices become evident more quickly when the balance of inputs and outputs, sources and sinks, stresses and responses becomes clear to decision-makers.

The goal of scientific research is to recognize an observed problem, to form ideas about causes of the problem, to design and implement a project with specific measurements and observations concerning the problem and suspected causes, and to use the information gathered to revisit the original problem and to test the ideas. Problem-solving with a base in research leads customers to solutions with minimal risk and optimal levels of increased understanding of soil and its role in ecosystem changes.

Urban Conservation Programs

The urban conservation program is marked by its core of changing customers and the mix of agencies and skill-levels involved in planning and implementing urban projects. It is not unusual to find both public NCSS cooperators, and private soil consultants working at the request of a community non-profit group such as a conservation district. The concepts of social good and stewardship of the land blend with nutritional concerns and recreational needs to intensify the variety of landuses co-existing on an urban parcel. The risk levels for unsuitable choices for land use mean higher economic cost in urban areas, necessitating a more specific and risk-sensitive method of comparing soils within a given site.

The soil survey manuscripts produced for traditional scales of soil survey are undergoing changes in the direction of the needs for urban surveys, such as updating the sample descriptions for interpreting soil suitability for different uses (prewritten manuscript material), adapting the three-rating system (slight, moderate, severe) to use fuzzy logic in a continuous rating of likelihood of suitability from 0.0-1.0, and addressing the need for new interpretations to fit modern types of recreation. Traditional concerns such as the degree of soil limitation, passive recreation, heavy foot traffic, vehicles, flooding, and avoidance of boulders and dust remain and are joined by concerns with more difficult research areas such as heavy metal toxicity and contamination plumes.

Limitations to successful local programs in urban soils include funding, experienced people, scientific knowledge, and customer input. Six projects were started in 1996-97 to demonstrate the potential of urban soils programs when funding was removed as a barrier. Funds were obtained through the USDA-NRCS-Community and Rural Development Division (CARDD) and cooperative agreements were written for the development of prototype urban soils products. The projects and locations varied but shared common formats of futuristic planning, contracts with external customers to help them lead by example, and as prototypes for USDA-NRCS agency direction.

The attempt to establish a common vocabulary for unconventional soil features found in urban soil survey will benefit from a soil classification system compatible with soil taxonomy. A circular letter recently requested comments on urban taxonomy for consideration by the International Committee on Anthropogenic Soils (ICOMANTH). The notice dated August of 1997 mentioned over 11 categories of changes in soils due to human activities, including many found in urban areas or done for urban purposes:

dredge materials
accelerated erosion
land filling
land leveling
surface removal
contamination
sedimentation
windblown deep plowing/logging
severe compaction by machinery
artificial saturation

The urban soils community can and should contribute to the work of ICOMANTH because urban soils are found worldwide and are an area of great concern for world food supply and sustainable drinking water supply, as well as aesthetics and recreation.

Soil Quality
Improving how your soil works

Soil Quality Highlights

Soil Quality: Managing Cool, Wet Soils - Soil Quality - Agronomy Technical Note No. 20 focuses on limiting physical disturbance and increasing crop diversity to increase soil function in cool, wet soils.

Soil Quality Physical Indicators: Selecting Dynamic Soil Properties to Assess Soil Function - Soil Quality Technical Note No. 10 provides an overview of soil quality indicators, with an emphasis on physical soil properties. A matrix is provided to help users select reliable physical indicators for assessing specific soil functions. Information sheets are available for Aggregate Stability, Available Water Capacity, Bulk Density, Infiltration, Slaking, Soil Crusts, and Soil Structure and Macropores (and are linked in the matrix). They discuss the inherent and dynamic factors affecting the property, suggest management practices for improvements, and provide a reference to a measurement method.

Soil Quality Concepts

Soil Quality is defined as how well soil does what we want it to do. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive rangeland, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Included in these pages are a glossary, and information about soil organic matter and soil biology.

Soil Organic Matter
Soil Biology

Soil Quality Assessment

Soil quality assessment is the process of measuring the management induced changes in soil as we attempt to get soil to do what we want it to do. The ultimate purpose of assessing soil quality is to provide the information necessary to protect and improve long-term agricultural productivity, water quality, and habitats of all organisms including people. These pages provide guidelines for soil quality assessment, information on building a soil quality test kit and developing a soil quality thunderbook and soil quality cards.

Soil Quality Indicator Information Sheets are available for physical and biological soil properties.

Soil Quality Management

How well we manage soil quality in a large part helps determine how well the soil does what we want it to do. This section offers guidance on managing soil quality by landuse, including cropland, grazing lands, forested land, and urban areas. Considerable information is also provided on organic farming.