subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Wed, Oct 15 2008 

Published July 09, 2007 09:46 am - hat’s how long it takes the earth to form an inch of topsoil, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Inch of topsoil needs 500 years
It takes little time to waste it


By Mike Surbrugg

msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com

500 years.

That’s how long it takes the earth to form an inch of topsoil, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The timeline for the latest inch of topsoil began in 1507 — about the time that Michaelangelo was working on the Sistine Chapel.

Ben Reed, conservationist with the Barton County Soil and Water Conservation District in Lamar, has spoken at elementary schools and at meetings about the importance of protecting topsoil.

He used an apple recently to illustrate his point about the importance of topsoil. Since nearly 75 percent of the earth is covered by water, he cut off 75 percent of the apple. Included in what’s left is the Arctic and Antarctica and other areas where people do not live, or about 10 percent of the apple. Another 10 percent of the apple was removed to represent areas not suited for crop production.

Reed ended up holding a sliver of the apple that represents the 5 percent of the earth suited for growing food.

Then he carefully cut away the peeling, which represents the topsoil where plants can grow.

“That six to eight inches of topsoil depth is all that stands between us and extinction,” he said.

While it takes 500 years to build an inch of topsoil, it certainly does not take that long to waste an inch of topsoil.

Prior to no-tillage farming, contour farming, making better use of forages and other conservation steps, the amount of soil lost by erosion in Missouri in a year would create a pile 70 feet high in each of four lanes of Interstate 70 between Kansas City and St. Louis.

That pile has been lowered to 20 feet deep along those four lanes, he said.

Topsoil also is lost during flooding and ends up in lakes and rivers where it changes from a life-supporting element into pollution.

Details and ways to save topsoil are available at any county Soil and Water Conservation district or from any Natural Resources Conservation Service office.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story





monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
TV LIsitngs

Get Our Free Pod Cast!



32 buy 1 get 1 free offers


Find a job! Find a Home! Find a car!
Featured Jobs

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Ozark Center is currently seeking a part-time Occupational Therapist to work with autistic pre-school age children in ou...>MORE

PAYROLL COORDINATOR
Payroll COORDINATOR, Ozark Center is accepting applications for a Payroll Coordinator. This full time position is resp...>MORE

SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPIST
Part-time, flexible schedule. Ozark Center is currently seeking part-time Speech Language Therapists to work with autist...>MORE

HIRING GRAND LAKE MENTAL HEALTH
-HIRING- GRAND LAKE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER MIAMI CLINIC. Psychiatric Social Rehab Specialist –to provide services for ...>MORE

OPTOMETRIC OFFICE
OPTOMETRIC OFFICE has opening for a full time assistant, optometric dispensing experience required. Duties include prete...>MORE

RESIDENTIAL STAFF
RESIDENTIAL STAFF, Part-time position for evenings, midnights and weekends working with women and children that receive ...>MORE

DAYSHIFT POSITION AVAILABLE
at Moe’s Southwest Grill. Apply within. 781-6637....>MORE

DRIVERS TEAMS
DRIVERS TEAMS OWNER OPERATORS, DEDICATED LANE Thru home often. California to Indianapolis. Fuel surcharge to $3.50/gallo...>MORE

EXPERIENCED CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Fast growing company seeks experienced customer service professionals for its Joplin location. Must be reliable and poss...>MORE

DAYSHIFT POSITION
dayshift position available at Moe’s Southwest Grill. Apply within. 781-6637....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

NISSAN 2003 MAXIMA
NISSAN, 2003 Maxima, 80,000 miles, 1 owner, all records, immaculate, loaded, silver, black leather, priced to sell. ...>MORE

2008 FORD F-150
Super Crew, 4x4, Limited Edition, leather, alloy wheels, sliding back glass. $25,000. Please call (417)673-5277 or (417...>MORE

JEEP 2001 CHEROKEE
4x4, 4.0 liter, automatic, 2 door, $3000. (417)850-5548...>MORE

MAZDA 1993 B2200
pickup, 71,808 actual miles, 5 speed, $2500. (417)850-5548...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

2-3 BR, SOUTH JOPLIN
2-3 BR, south Joplin, immaculate, partial financing. 417-782-4238 or 417-499-6645...>MORE

OPEN HOUSE
5 br 2 ba, 3200 Sq.feet, beautiful historic district, 1302 S. Main, Carthage. Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.(417)793-...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

BOXER PUPPIES
boxer PUPPIES, AKC, flashy fawn female, white females with one or two patches on eyes, white male. Dew claws and tails a...>MORE

E-Z GO GOLF CART
E-Z-GO Golf Cart, new batteries, excellent condition, $1400. (417)673-2111....>MORE

AFTER SCHOOL CARE
Mom with education background,providing after school care Oronogo 499-9822....>MORE

2005 CHROME DENALI WHEELS
2005 CHROME DENALI WHEELS and Goodyear tires, 1/2 tread, 265/70 17”. Must sell. 417-825-3737....>MORE

WING BACK CHAIRS
WING BACK chairs, (2) new fabric, blue/green/red print, $250/pair. 529-8461....>MORE

SHIH-TZU FEMALE
10 weeks, AKC, shots, dew claws removed, $340. (417)717-0430....>MORE

WANTED TO BUY GOOD USED MOTOR
wanted TO BUY, good clean used motor home from a private party. Please call Larry in Carthage MO (985)290-8122 sanct2@gm...>MORE

LEATHER COUCH
overstuffed chairs from Furniture Row, coffee table, 2 end tables, sofa table, new $3,000, all $1200; cherry kitchen tab...>MORE

2 MALE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS
to a good home free. (417) 529-6963...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

Find A Home Find A Car