"In some regions farming without regard to soil conservation rapidly leads to soil loss," writes David Montgomery in his book, Dirt.
"Other regions have quite a supply of fresh dirt to plow through. Few
places produce soil fast enough to sustain industrial agriculture over
human time scales, let alone over geologic time. Considered globally, we are slowly running out of dirt.
"Should
we be shocked that we are skinning our planet? Perhaps, but the
evidence is everywhere. We see it in brown streams bleeding off
construction sites and in sediment-choked rivers downstream from
clear-cut forests. We see it where farmers' tractors detour around
gullies, where mountain bikes jump deep ruts carved into dirt roads, and
where new suburbs and strip malls pave fertile valleys. The problem is
no secret. Soil is our most underappreciated, least valued, and yet
essential natural resource."
Read more: Does Dirt Need Saving?
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