Biology

Hi Varun,
Here are the top 10 methods to conserve soil which can be well used by a farmer to prevent it from soil erosion:
1. Practice no till farming. With no till farming, crops are allowed to remain rather than being plowed under at the end of the season. This practice keeps soils anchored in place rather than having bare ground exposed to wind and water.
2. Use terrace farming. This type of farming uses the topography of the land to slow water flow through a series of terraces. This manipulation of the water flow prevents it from gathering speed and washing soil away from farmlands.
3. Practice contour farming. Contour farming replicates the effects of terrace farming, but on a smaller scale. Crops planted up and down hillsides create pathways for water to flow. Crops planted parallel to the land slow the flow of water that prevents soil erosion.
Home Methods:
4. Reduce impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces like driveways and patios allow precipitation to flow freely over them. Water flow gains momentum when moving over such surfaces and can then erode stream banks and lakeshores.
5. Plant a rain garden. A rain garden is a shallow depression in your yard, which will collect precipitation washing over impervious surfaces. It prevents soil erosion and gives you an opportunity to grow wetland plants.
6. Use a rain barrel. You can place a rain barrel underneath a downspout to collect the water that runs off of your roof. Your roof, after all, is another impervious surface.
7. Plant windbreaks. Windbreaks prevent soil erosion by slowing the force of the wind over open ground. You can plant trees or shrubs in your windbreak. In addition to preventing erosion, these plantings will prevent snow from drifting onto your driveway or into the road.
8. Restore wetlands. Wetlands are one of the most effective ways to prevent soil erosion. Wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing rainwater and preventing it from carrying the soil away.
9. Plant buffer strips along stream banks. Buffer strips help hold stream banks intact during times of flooding. They also prevent runoff from entering waterways. Buffer strips can include a mixture of grasses, shrubs, and trees.
10. Re-establish forest cover. The re-establishment of forest cover provides an extensive, tree-root network that offers a long-term solution to soil erosion. It can function both as a windbreak and a means to anchor soils in place.
Feel free to ask more.