Have agricultural management efforts begun in the desperation of the Dust Bowl brought us to where we need to be tomorrow? Questions about the environmental footprint of farming make this book required reading. Approximately 62% of the total U.S. land area is used for agriculture, and this land also provides critical ecosystem functions. Authors from each region of the continental United States describe the progress of soil and water conservation to date and visualize how agricultural production practices must change in future years to address the newest challenges.
For as far into the future as we can see, governments will probably topple, power will continue to exchange hands, the climate will undergo continuous change, and the global economy will ebb and flow like the oceans. But for the world's many diverse countries-whether they be highly industrialized or third world-one thing will always remain constant: the need to solve the planet's pressing soil and water conservation problems, as well as implement effective policies. But why do some policy initiatives succeed while others fail? Soil and Water Conservation Policies and Programs: Successes and Failures addresses this very question. Based on an international conference held in Prague, this book debates the strengths and weaknesses of soil and water conservation initiatives implemented in North America, Europe, and Australia. Soil and water conservation policies in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, and other countries are examined through the eyes of technical and soil scientists. And the book also addresses specialized topics, such as agricultural pollution abatement in Poland, and private farmers and contemporary conservation subsidy programs in the Czech Republic. With its thorough treatment of the subject matter, Soil and Water Conservation Policies and Programs: Successes and Failures contributes to resolving one of the world's most pressing conservation issues.
Advances in Soil and Water Conservation provides an in-depth, scholarly treatment of the most important developments and influences shaping soil and water conservation in the last 50 years. The book addresses the technological developments of erosion processes, methods for their control, policy and social forces shaping the research agenda, and future directions. Topics covered include: key governmental agencies and programs research on processes of soil and water degradation control practices and soil quality enhancement conservation tillage the connection between soil and water conservation and sustainable agriculture effects of technology and social influences on soil and water conservation in this country The historical foundation, the focus on key developments, the depth of treatment and thorough documentation, and the orientation to the future make Advances in Soil and Water Conservation a superlative resource for all persons in the field.
Emphasizes engineering design of soil and water conservation practices and their impact on the environment, primarily air and water quality. As in previous editions, the purpose of this book is to provide a professional text for undergraduate and graduate agricultural and biological engineering students and for others interested in soil and water conservation in rural and urban areas. Subject matter includes all the engineering phases of soil and water conservation for a one- or two-semester course.
Save time and effort with this practical guide to all aspects of water and soil conservation Soil and Water Conservation Handbook is a concise, compact encyclopedia of the policies, practices, conditions, and terms related to soil and/or water conservation. This handy A-to-Z guide contains descriptions of more than 700 entries, presente
North American Agroforestry Explore the many benefits of alternative land-use systems with this incisive resource Humanity has become a victim of its own success. While we’ve managed to meet the needs—to one extent or another—of a large portion of the human population, we’ve often done so by ignoring the health of the natural environment we rely on to sustain our planet. And by deteriorating the quality of our air, water, and land, we’ve put into motion consequences we’ll be dealing with for generations. In the newly revised Third Edition of North American Agroforestry, an expert team of researchers delivers an authoritative and insightful exploration of an alternative land-use system that exploits the positive interactions between trees and crops when they are grown together and bridges the gap between production agriculture and natural resource management. This latest edition includes new material on urban food forests, as well as the air and soil quality benefits of agroforestry, agroforestry’s relevance in the Mexican context, and agroforestry training and education. The book also offers: A thorough introduction to the development of agroforestry as an integrated land use management strategy Comprehensive explorations of agroforestry nomenclature, concepts, and practices, as well as an agroecological foundation for temperate agroforestry Practical discussions of tree-crop interactions in temperate agroforestry, including in systems such as windbreak practices, silvopasture practices, and alley cropping practices In-depth examinations of vegetative environmental buffers for air and water quality benefits, agroforestry for wildlife habitat, agroforestry at the landscape level, and the impact of agroforestry on soil health Perfect for environmental scientists, natural resource professionals and ecologists, North American Agroforestry will also earn a place in the libraries of students and scholars of agricultural sciences interested in the potential benefits of agroforestry.
