local dirt
2015 International Year of Soils
S
oil is the lifeblood of our planet. This year several organizations have gathered together to celebrate the 2015 International Year of Soils and raise awareness
to promote the sustainability of our limited soil resourc- es. The Soil Science of America, United Nations General Assembly and the Global Soil Partnership all have websites and information to provide you with resources to learn about soils; our life sustaining natural resource. “We all have a valuable role in communicating vital infor-
mation on soils. Soils are a finite natural resource and are non-renewable on a human time scale. They are the foun- dation for food, animal feed, fuel and natural fibre produc- tion, the supply of clean water, nutrient cycling and a range of ecosystem functions. The area of fertile soils covering the world’s surface is limited and increasingly subject to degradation, poor management and loss to urbanization. Increased awareness of the life-supporting functions of soil is called for if this trend is to be reversed and so enable the levels of food production necessary to meet the demands of population levels predicted for 2050,” states the Soil Science of America. A new book, Building Soil, soon to be released by Eliza-
beth Murphy discusses this crisis as it relates to the back- yard gardener. This is not a quick garden guide – but a return to patience and seasons-long diligence in the garden. “At the home-scale, soil care is one of the most basic ways
the gardener can have a beneficial environmental impact. Imagine if whole neighbourhoods were cultivating living, healthy soils. By taking care of the whole soil, they would be creating whole communities that could become increas- ingly sustainable and connected. “Although productive soils take a long, long time to
accumulate in nature, we can revitalize our soils relative- ly quickly by treating soils as living things. This means providing them with food, water, shelter and air, mostly by adding organic matter back to the soil. At this home-scale, this is all of our “so-called” waste – kitchen scraps, grass trimmings, yard waste, weeds, garden cover crops. If we recycle this back to the soil, we feed the living soil. Feed- ing the living soil means that our gardens become more productive, and more self-sustaining. The bottom-line is that this means less work for us as the gardener,” states Murphy. “We have to change our perspective and see soils as living
things. Soils are living ecosystems, our gardens are living ecosystems, our world is a living ecosystem – everything is connected and interdependent. Not only is it easier to garden this way, but by feeding the soil so that it can take care of itself, it’s more fun to do!” For more information visit the Soil Science of Ameri-
ca’s website
soils.org/IYS which is filled with information, educational materials for schools and downloads. The United Nations General Assembly’s website
fao.org/
globalsoilpartnership/iys-2015/en/ also contains significant articles, videos and information for those wanting to learn more.
localgardener.net Early Spring 2015 • 7
Revitalize Canada's school grounds by planting trees!
Apply today! Creating an interactive, educational landscape engages
youths' curiosity and gives parents, teachers, and staff the opportunity to take part in learning too. The planning and maintenance of school gardens and trees is undertaken by the school community, with opportunities for students to make their own contributions, and with help from Tree Canada experts. Schools can apply to the Tree Canada Greening Canada's
School Grounds program for the opportunity to win grants of up to $3000. Visit
treecanada.ca/en/programs/greening- canadas-school-grounds/ for more information. Applications are accepted year round and are kept on file
for two years.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40