Conservation of the land

Protection of the soil against erosion:

Soil erosion is the destruction and wearing away of the soil by water or wind. A layer of soil formed in the course of 100 or 200 years may be destroyed in a few days by heavy rain or dust storms. The soil is rapidly destroyed but forms only over a very lengthy period. That’s why it’s so vitally important to protect the soil.

Soil erosion by water is widespread and most destructive. It occurs on slopes and is due to improper working of the land.

Soil erosion by wind is characteristic mostly of open, dry, diffused soils. It may arise on any field with sparse vegetation.

Mud and stone streams in the mountains are a form of soil erosion which occurs at great speed due to steep slopes and narrow gorges. They inflict great damage on people and the economy in mountain areas.

Fighting any kind of soil erosion always requires a set of anti-erosion measures. No one measure alone is effective. These measures may include: retention of the moisture in the soil, planting forests in river valleys, prohibition of destruction of rocks by explosions and felling of trees on mountain slopes, creation of the forest belt system, etc.

Rational use of land resources:

The rational use of land resources includes actual use of the land. It’s very important that ploughland is protected against inefficient use for civil and industrial construction, against dumping with builders’ refuse, and urban and village dumps.

Efforts are being undertaken throughout the world to recultivate the lands spoiled by industry. Recultivation develops along the following lines depending on the subsequent use to be made of the land:

● Agriculture: ploughland, meadows, pastures, perennial crops;

● Forestry: reforestation for exploitation and special purposes;

● Water economy (reservoirs, fish and waterfowl ponds and so on);

● Recreation: parks, swimming pools, beaches and lake;

● Architecture and urban planning: planting trees and shrubs, and lawns, making ponds near housing.

In all cases, recultivation is carried out in two stages: the technical stage constitutes the process of constructing the land areas, and the biological stage aimed at putting the land to use.

1. How do you pronounce the following: erosion, occur, gorge, measure, plant, plough, meadow, pasture, lawn, mountain, damage, vegetation?

2. What does reforestation mean?

3. What measures can be undertaken to fight soil erosion?

4. What part of speech is steep in the text?

5. Explain the phrase urban and village dumps.

6. What does recultivation mean?

7. What is the opposite of sparse?

8. Give the synonyms of area, rational, purpose, recreation.

9. What is the difference between reservoir, pond, pool, and lake?

10. What syllable is stressed in effort?

1.16. Read the factfile and try to solve the environmental crisis.

A) We are now finding ourselves faced with choices about the sort of environment that we want to live in. The main choice is whether to start working with nature, by understanding and working with its natural cycles, or to carry on working against it. The future of all the people in the world, and of the world itself, depends on the choices that we make today.

Today, man’s pressure on the natural world is causing a worldwide environmental crisis. Below are some of the main problems that we now face, along with some actions that we could take to improve the situation.

B) Match the titles with the actions. One title is an extra one.

1. Soil Erosion 5. Rainforest Destruction

2. Acid Rain and Other Pollution 6. Desertification

3. Destruction of Habitats and Wildlife 7. The Greenhouse Effect

4. The Wasting of Our Natural Resources 8. Ozone Depletion

● Organic farming – organic matter retains water longer and binds the soil better, preventing it drying up and blowing away.

● Reforms in land ownership in rainforest countries – to take the pressure off rainforest land.

● Pollution filters on power stations and motor vehicles.

● Less dependency on export crops in the poor world (these are grown on the best land, forcing poor people onto the more sparse land which soon turns to desert).

● More and larger wildlife parks in towns and countryside.

● A complete ban on the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (as soon as it is practically possible).

● Recycling of essential minerals.

1.17. Read the text Acid Rains and choose the correct answer.