Soils

Soil is the biologically active, unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. Soil formation is so slow that it is considered a non-renewable resource and should be utilized responsibly. Restoration becomes necessary when soils are disturbed by natural or human-induced stresses. Rehabilitation of the resource will promote sustainable soils and biological habitats.

Objectives of soil restoration

The primary goal of soil restoration is to minimize degradation of the resource and to establish a functional plant-soil system. If soils are not protected, disturbances may result in soil erosion, loss of organic matter and nutrients causing a decline in fertility, and loss of biological activity and diversity.

Degradation of soils can have the following impacts on the landscape:

• Increased surface runoff that alters the hydrology of the site
• Increased sediment loading in surrounding water bodies
• Poor re-establishment of vegetation
• Bare ground surfaces
• Loss of soil biodiversity and the soil carbon reservoir