Tackle soil erosion and begin regeneration

The film 'Kiss the Ground' 2020 explains the concept that could start to tackle the climate emergency with many ideas for personal, local and global action.  The Assembly should watch and discuss.

Why the contribution is important

Because we need to work with nature and prevent more desertification and resulting povery, inequality and climate change.  We should work in harmony with nature and learn from past and current mistakes.

by Shirleykeys on October 25, 2020 at 12:00AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.9
Based on: 10 votes

Comments

  • Posted by JackSprat October 25, 2020 at 14:07

    Stabilising existing soil, and moving to land management practices that rebuild topsoil are key to increasing our local sustainability.

  • Posted by MarkColyer October 25, 2020 at 21:27

    I have not seen the film mentioned here. However, the soil is one of the most precious resources that Scotland has. Not only is it the growth medium for our food, but it also is (or should be) a hugely significant store of carbon. Unfortunately much of our standard agricultural practice encourages the release of stored carbon rather than fostering further sequestration. Drainage is fundamental in many soils if the ground is to be dry enough for most of our crops to grow. As the soil dries, more air is allowed in and the carbon is oxidised to carbon dioxide. Cultivation similarly aerates the soil and thus accelerated the oxidation of the stored carbon. Farmers must continue to develop and refine minimum tillage cropping and such wet pasture that remains should be protected from further drainage.

  • Posted by Eviaries October 25, 2020 at 23:49

    I have not seen the film. But I know a lot about regenerative farming and carbon sequestration. Yes, we must stop burning fossil fuels immediately (it's a no-brainer if we want a future life on Earth) but we also have to draw down and sequester carbon in the soil. Grassland is potentially as effective as forest at storing carbon.
    Currently, D&G, landowners are subsidised to plough up semi-improved permanent pasture (which already supports thriving ecosystems) in order to plant Sitka spruce plantations. They presumably make money from this appalling practice, and believe that this forest will store carbon. Do they not realise that ploughing up the pasture releases all the carbon to the atmosphere, kills all the soil organisms and mycorrhizal fungi, leads to soil erosion, and gives rise to a monoculture of non-native trees that will be harvested in 4 decades to be burnt as biomass (an inefficient use of wood if ever there was one) or made into toilet paper. Sitka spruce plantations support very little other life forms.
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