| What's the
Connection Among Soils, Compost,
and Water?
Soil degradation
and water pollution are widely
recognized as major
environmental problems. Less
widely recognized is that soil
and water are
interconnected.
A
healthy soil provides a number of
vital functions including the
ability to store water and
nutrients, regulate flow of water,
and neutralize pollutants.
How
Compost Improves Soil and
Water
- Improves
soil structure
- Supplies
slow-release nutrients
to plants
- Holds
moisture and reduces
erosion
- Immobilizes
and degrades
pollutants
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The
disturbance, compaction, and
degradation of soils from human
activity impacts soil structure
and reduces its ability to provide
these functions. When native soils
are removed or eroded, soil
organic content is reduced, soil
structure declines, and the
biological activity of the soil
decreases—all resulting in poor
water filtration and holding
capacity. Soil erosion in
stormwater runoff contributes to
poor water quality and compromised
salmon habitat in nearby streams.
When soil is unhealthy, management
of healthy landscaping becomes
dependent on application of
herbicides and pesticides which
also runs off, further damaging
adjacent ecosystems.
For
more information on the connection
between soil quality and water
resources and water quality, link
to WORC's Soils
for Salmon website.
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Healthy
Soil and Stormwater Management
As land use intensifies,
surface water runoff increases
and evapotranspiration
diminishes. This pattern is
common in the urban
environment and highlights the
need for creative alternatives
that can help reduce water
runoff and increase
groundwater infiltration in
the face of continued growth.
It is widely recognized
that urbanization brings
increased peak storm flows and
decreased summer flows to
streams. This results from the
increase in impervious surface
and decrease in groundwater
infiltration. It has been
clearly demonstrated that
minimizing development impact
on native soils and forests,
and restoring impacted soils
with compost, can reduce peak
storm flows and increase
infiltration.
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Soil
Foodweb
The soil foodweb is a
complex system made up of
microscopic and macroscopic
organisms such as bacteria,
fungi, nematodes, and
protozoa. These organisms
provide vital functions by
keeping disease-causing
organisms in check, helping to
cycle soil nutrients, allowing
healthy root growth, and
providing a highway for air
and water to pass.
For more information, check out the USDA NRC Soil Quality Institute (SQI) website which has a number of excellent links and information on soil quality.The SQI also produced and distributes the Soil Biology Primer
, which is a 52-page booklet that introduces the role living organisms play in soil productivity and air and waterquality. The Primer contains lots of information specifically on the soil foodweb.
There is an on-line
version, which includes all
the text of the original but
not all the images of soil
organisms. The full story of
the soil foodweb is more
readily understood with the
aid of all of the photos and
illustrations in the
original. To have
ordering information sent to
you, send an e-mail request
with your phone number and
full address to:
landcare@swcs.org.
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Landscaping
and Gardening for Sustainability
Recycled organics play a significant role in
natural and sustainable landscaping.
Consider water resources: Urban homeowners and
landscapers can do more than select drought resistant
plants to conserve water. The use of compost and mulch
not only reduces the amount of watering required, it
is also a great way to cut down on the need for
herbicides and pesticides as well. Changing
landscaping practices can have a positive effect on
water quality as well as water conservation, both of
which are so important to a healthy and sustainable
environment.
There are a number of resources available to help
us change the way we manage our gardens and lawns.
Using compost in landscaping and gardening helps
"closes the loop" in recycling when we
purchase and use recovered organic resources.
For more information natural landscaping, link to
Soils for Salmon website and follow the links.
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