...Farm The Conservation Foundation established in 1972 as a non-for- profit organization that focuses its efforts to protect its land and watershed. The Conservation Foundation sits on the 60-acre McDonald Farm and working land located in Naperville, Illinois and its primary mission is to preserve open spaces and natural land, and protect rivers, streams and watersheds. The Conservation Foundation received the MacDonald Farm as a donation from the MacDonald family 1992 and it moved its headquarters to the site in 1998. The MacDonald family purchased the property in 1949. The family rehabilitated the barn and some other buildings including the new construction of the latest house that had previously burned twice. Mrs. MacDonald continued living in the farm after the passing of her husband in 1966. In the 1970s, farms were disappearing rapidly due to the fast development in the area. Soon most farms were replaces by subdivisions and in less than 10 years all those farmland became neighborhoods. Mrs. MacDonald resisted and sent away many developers who offered big amounts of money for the farm. She always insisted that no one was going to build any houses on her property. Mrs. MacDonald donated the farm to the Conservation Foundation on the promise that this property was to be kept for conservation, education and agriculture purposes. Include aspects on water conservation, native landscaping, solar and wind power, co-op farming. The McDonald farm under the Conservation Foundation...
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...Behavioral Intentions: Conserving Water MKG 310 Consumer Behaviors Professor John Vann Introduction to Water Conservation Today, 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Only 2% of that water is fresh. Of that 2%, 1.6% of fresh water is trapped in the glaciers, leaving only .4% available for the 7 billion people living on this planet. Since the beginning of time, humans have been dealing with limited resources, water being one of them, and have learned how to use them wisely (Saving the Water, 2015). Water is an extremely scarce resource. With the population growing and water supply remaining stagnant, it is clear that something needs to be done. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the term water conservation refers to the preservation, control and development of water resources, both surface and groundwater, and prevention of pollution (Glossary of Statistical Terms, 2001). Today, people have been taking the world’s limited water supply for granted which has led to the depletion of conserving it. Water conservation is an important concept that is being stressed upon younger generations. In order to show the importance of saving water, it is imperative that the youth are educated on behavioral practices that support water conservation. These behaviors involve changing current habits connected to water usage to promote efficiency. Behavioral change is inconvenient for many which is why water conservation has been at a standstill....
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...WATER CONSERVATION Water is very important content. Without water there is no life in earth. We use water in so many ways in our daily life. Water is a substance which covers ¾ part of the world. It means water is occupying more portion compared to land. But this water is becoming more polluted because of the environmental changes. So it is necessary to conserve the water. It is every one duty to protect the water because everyone uses this water and we the people are making water polluted. Now we may get the doubt how to conserve the water. A few simple changes in home about the water consumption make a vast contribution to water conservation. The basic changes we have to do is stop leaking of water. We have to see whether there is a leakage in our taps. Because of the water leakage taps we can’t protect the water. We can also protect the water by Installing Low-Flow Showerheads. With these we can protect the water because it flows lower. And we won’t use much water with these Low-Flow Showerheads. When we are brushing our teeth or when we are shaving we have to turn off faucets. After completing the work we have to use the water. By this change also we can preserve the water. Using sprinklers for yard is also a good remedy for water conservation. Turn off the water in the shower when shampooing the hair Water will be saved. It is better to replace the new toilets in place of old toilets. These are high efficiency and will use less water. To collect a rain water use a rain...
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...Soil Conservation Working Group Report This report provided content for the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts first report, Wisconsin’s Changing Climate: Impacts and Adaptation, released in February 2011. THE WISCONSIN INITIATIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS 1st Adaptive Assessment Report Contribution of the Soil Conservation Working Group July 2010 Contour stripcropping in central Wisconsin Photo by Ron Nichols, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Participants of Working Group William L. Bland, Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Working Group Chair and lead author) Kelly R. Maynard, M.S. Agroecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Project Assistant) Jeremy Balousek, P.E., Urban Conservation Engineer, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department Denny Caneff, Executive Director, River Alliance of Wisconsin, Inc. Laura W. Good, Associate Scientist, Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconson-Madison Kevin Kirsch, Water Resource Engineer, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Patrick Murphy, State Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service John M. Norman, Emeritus Professor of Soil science, Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison James VandenBrook, Water Quality Section Chief, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Sara Walling, Water Quality Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and ...
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...Water Conservation Nature is great. It meets most of our needs without which life is impossible. All of our needs that are made available to us by nature are called Natural Resources. The most important requirements that are needed to sustain life on this planet include Air, Water, Food, Energy and Shelter. Water is an integral part of land/soil productivity base. It covers about 70% of the earth’s surface. The water is made available to us by rain and snow. The demand for water is increasing every year due to tremendous increase or rise in population and due to greater expansion of industries. The agricultural has also expanded and more water is needed for irrigation purposes. A huge amount of water is wasted by way of floods. This is mainly due to destruction of forests in our hills. This has rendered the hill slope bare so that water flows down unchecked. Lot of water is wasted in the atomic reactors and other cooling devices. This wastage and greater use of water will create water scarcity or may even lead to water famine. To safe guard from such a situation conservation of water is essential. A few steps for conservation for water are suggested below. 1. Checking Deforestation: - The first and the foremost attention should be directed towards checking deforestation. The felling of trees on the hills should be stopped rather banned. This will also help in checking soil erosion and soil permeability. The felling will not impair soil permeability but, on the contrary...
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...Soil and Water conservation H. H. Bennett once said, “Soil conservation is probably the youngest of all the agricultural sciences.†Its newness doesn’t make it any less important, especially in small towns where people rely heavily on soil and water conservation to grow crops to feed their families and people around the world. In 2000, slightly more than one-half of the nation’s population lived in jurisdictions cities, towns, boroughs, villages and townships with fewer than 25,000 people or in rural areas, which makes it even more important to conserve soil and water in such areas, so we can have it for future generations and beyond. Small towns need soil conservation to survive because without it they will not be able to grow crops, and in turn people will have to leave thus is the end of a small town, because with no people there can be no town. Just like in the dust bowl were people couldn’t grow crops because of the poor soil conditions this could happen again if we are not careful of the land that we use to farm. Small towns also need water conservation because when you are living in a place like the panhandle of Texas water is scarce and relied upon for daily living. When water is used in this part of the world it should be conserved. Just as in the last couple of years we have had a severe drought causing our lakes and rivers, to deplete. Another reason for soil and water conservation is that you need small towns. In places as dry and as farmed as the panhandle...
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...free from harmful chemicals and organisms. 2. Freshwater- water that flows from the land to oceans and contains little or no salt. 3. Domestic- household use. 4. Tidewater- the water that flows up the mouth of a river as the ocean tide rises or comes in. 5. Food chain- the interdependence of plants and animals for food constitutes. 6. Universal solvent- a material that dissolves or otherwise changes most other materials. 7. Water cycle- the cycling of water among the water sources, atmosphere, and surface areas. 8. Desert- areas with continues severe water shortages. 9. Irrigation- the addition of water to plants to supplement the water provided by rain or snow. 10. Precipitation- the formation of rain and snow. 11. Evaporation- changing from a liquid to a vapor or gas. 12. Water shed- a large land area in which water is absorbed from rain or melting snow. 13. Water table- the level below which soil is saturated or filled with water. 14. Fertility- the amount and type of nutrients in the soil. 15. Free water- water that drains out of soil after it has been wetted. 16. Gravitational water- feeds wells and springs. 17. Capillary water- plant roots can absorb or take up this moisture. 18. Hydroscopic water- water that is held too tightly for plant roots to absorb. 19. Purify- to remove all foreign material. 20. No-till- planting crops without plowing or disking the soil. 21. Contour- following the level of land around a hill...
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...1. A. Soil Formation Weathering break up the surface of parent rocks into small particles. Air and water enter the spaces between the particles and chemical changes take pace which resut in the production of chemical substances. Bacteria and plant life soon appear. When plant and animal organisms die, they decay and produce a substance called humus. This is very important to so fertility. Bacteria play a vital role into the decomposition of plants and animals remains. The end product of these mechanical, chemical, and biological processes is called soil which is one of the world’s most important natural resources. B. Composition of Soil All soil contain mineral matter, organic matter, air, water and living organisms, especially bacteria. If any one of these is seriously reduced in amount, or removed frm a soil, ten the soil deteriorates. Soil is an important component of the physical environment of many ecosystem. The main components of a typical soild can be divided into two: Organic components and Inorganic components. Organic Components - include include living organism such as baceteria and fungi which serve as the decomposers;a very important parts of the recycling and decay processes. It also include many invertebrates animal such as insects and worms. Finally, there are many plants or parts and worms. Finally, there are many plants or parts of palnts such as roots and seeds. Inorganic compoents – Inorganic components include mineral, water and air. Soil...
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...Soil Protection in South Africa. Soil protection is the protection and management of the quality of soil. It is all about solving the problems of land degradation. It can further be defined as the combination of the appropriate land use and management practices that promote the productive and sustainable use of soils and in the process minimise soil erosion and other forms of land degradation. 3.2.10 Causes of soil degradation in South Africa. Erosion. Erosion is the detachment and transportation of soil materials by wind or water. Soil erosion is a major problem of agriculture in South Africa. Soil erosion is a natural process but it becomes a serious problem when the activities of humans accelerate the process of its occurence. Land degradation caused by soil erosion causes the loss of fertile topsoil and reduces soil productivity. Researches have shown that over 70% of the soil in South Africa has been affected by one form of soil erosion or the other. The annual soil loss due to soil erosion in South Africa is estimated at 300 – 400 million tonnes for each hectare of land. South Africa loses an average of 20 tonnes of soil for each tonne of agricultural products produced. Soil erosion can be caused by water and, or wind. The effects of these factors on the soil are determined by the speed and the soil cover at the time of occurence. It is estimated that 25% of the country is covered by soil that is susceptible to wind erosion. These include the sandy soils in the...
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...animal manure the dung and urine of cattle, horses, poultry, and other farm animals. It improves soil structure, adds organic nitrogen, and stimulates beneficial soil bacteria and fungi. aquaculture raising marine and freshwater fish in ponds and underwater cages chronic malnutrition deficiencies of protein and other key nutrients—which weakens them, makes them more susceptible to disease, and hinders the normal physical and mental development of children. chronic undernutrition, or hunger People who cannot grow or buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs suffer from chronic undernutrition, or hunger. commercial inorganic fertilizer The best way to maintain soil fertility is through soil conservation. The next best option is to restore some of the plant nutrients that have been washed, blown, or leached out of the soil, or that have been removed by repeated crop harvesting. To do this, farmers can use commercial inorganic fertilizer produced from various minerals. compost produced when microorganisms in soil break down organic matter such as leaves, crop residues, food wastes, paper, and wood in the presence of oxygen. desertification It occurs when the productive potential of soil, especially on arid or semiarid land, falls by 10% or more because of a combination of prolonged drought and human activities that reduce or degrade topsoil. famine occurs when there is a severe shortage of food in an area accompanied by mass starvation, many deaths...
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...October 1, 2012 *Conservation – “Controlled Use”, “Scientific Management” of natural resources. “Greatest good for the greatest number of people. *Preservation – Remaining wilderness areas on public lands should be left untouched. *Restoration – To bring back to former condition (former natural state/condition), active restoration seeks to reestablish a diverse, dynamic community at sites that have been degraded. *Remediation – Most often used with cleanup of chemical contaminants in a polluted area. *Mitigation – Repairing/Rehabilitating a damaged ecosystem or compensation for damage. Most often by providing a substitute or replacement area; frequently involves wetland ecosystems. *Reclamation – Typically used to describe chemical or physical manipulations carried out in severely degraded sites, such as open-pit mines or large-scale construction. Environmental Legislation/Agreements NAME | Abbr. | Description | Atomic Energy Act | | The act establishes a general regulatory structure for construction and use of nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons facilities. Unlike most environmental statutes, it does not permit citizen suits and affords only limited opportunities for suits by public interest groups. | *Clean Air Act | CAA | Established primary and secondary air quality standards. Required states to develop implementation plans. Sets limits and goals to reduce mobile source air pollution and ambient air quality standards. | *Clean Water Act | CWA | Regulates...
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...Natural Resources and Energy Paper Robert Huitt, Rocharda Carter, Roxabel Perez Garcia, Salatethia Thomas, and Stephanie Lowe SCI 256 William Okrepkie April 13, 2015 Large open areas of grass or plants that are similar to grass are considered to be grasslands. The majority of time trees are not found in grasslands because grasslands tend to be too dry in an environment. Rainfall is the primary source of water, and the absorption occurs through the roots of the grass. The roots are extensive and yield multiple networks and modified photosynthesis. Multiplication of the grass occurs by pollen being excreted from wind or additional plants growing from the roots. During a period, grasslands accounted for over 42% of Earth. European settlers considered grasslands "prairies," which is French for "grassland." There are two main categories of grasslands which are Tropical Savannah and Temperate Grassland. These two are in areas that have hot summers and little rainfall. Africa, Australia, South America and Indonesia are where you can find Tropical Savannah Grasslands. Prairies or Steppes are other names used for Temperate Grassland. Grasslands are among the largest ecosystems in the world. Their area is estimated at fifty- two point five million. Square kilometers (Forages Information Systems, 2009). In actual practice, grassland agriculture includes the proper use of legumes as well as grasses. Grasses and legumes are used to feed livestock, support wildlife...
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...Modelling Soil erosion is a significant environmental process that degrades the soil in which we rely on for food, fuel, clean water, carbon storage, and as a substrate for buildings and infrastructure (Quinton 2011). It is the disruption of the soil mantle – the pedosphere, or the underlying rock base – the lithosphere by the action of matter of external geomorphic factors, such as water, snow, ice, air, weathered debris, organisms and man (Zachar 1982). Both abiotic and biotic forms of erosion forms patterns that are typical for a particular area such as climate, relief, nature of the surface, activity of the organism, and activity of man (Zachar 1982). It is the degradation or aggradations of the Earth’s surface by the movement of soil material by wind, rain, overland flow and gravity (ASSIGNMENT). Problems with Erosion The movement of sediment and associated pollutants over the landscape and into water bodies is of increasing concern with respect to pollution control and environmental protection. With the expected change in climate over the coming decades, there is a need to predict how environmental problems associated with sediment are likely to be affected so that appropriate management systems can be put in place (Morgan & Nearing). Erosion can impact the productivity of agricultural, post-mining and native systems and is a sign of land degradation (ASSIGNMENT). Soil erosion acts a mechanism for transferring pollutants to surface waters and reduces water availability...
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...Preservation, Conservation, and Sustainability of the Mississippi River SCI 256 July 27, 2013 Introduction The Mississippi River, especially the upper region, is one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. It is home to numerous species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Since 1927, people have been working to preserve, conserve, and sustain the Mississippi's rich resources and harness its power and energy. However, many problems exist for various reasons. Because of its sheer size and diversity, agriculture is greatly affected. The effects of human population growth on the region cannot be underestimated, but people are working to minimize the impact as well as searching for techniques to manage sustainability and conservation efforts. These efforts lead to the discovery of the renewable and nonrenewable energy sources the river provides. Agricultural Impact Agriculture is the greatest threat to freshwater today. Agriculture is the growing of livestock and crop to produce food. In order to eat farming is needed and to survive eating is a must. However agriculture can impact the freshwater systems. Freshwater is a replenish supply through rainfall, but it is not limitless. The quality and quantity of remaining freshwater sources suffers, if human consumption outpaces natural restoration. Agriculture use 70 percent of freshwater. Water is indispensable for farming. Government financial need has made growing crops a business profitable causes many countries...
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...saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. It can also be defined as an ecosystem that arises when inundation by water produces soils dominated by anaerobic processes which in turn forces the biota particularly rooted plants to adopt to flooding Wetlands are areas of land that are permanently, seasonally or occasionally water logged with fresh ,saline, brackish or marine waters including both natural and manmade areas that support characteristic biota. Globally wetlands occupy about 6% of the earth’s surface .Kenya’s wetlands occupy about 3% to 4% which is approximately 1400 kilometers square of land surface and fluctuates up to 6% during the rainy seasons. According to the ramsar convention a wetland is an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water whether natural or artificial permanent or temporary with water that is static or flowing, fresh brackish or salt including areas of marine water the depth of which do not exceed six meters The factor that distinguishes wetlands from other landforms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation that is adapted to its unique soil condition. Wetlands consist mainly of hydric soil, which supports aquatic plants There are four main types of wetlands * marshes * swamps * bogs and * ferns The subtypes include mangrove, Carr, pocosin and varzea Wetlands may be natural or artificial. The water found in them can be saltwater, fresh water or brackish...
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