World Soil Day is December 5, a day that was established to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to promote healthy soil for life. Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations.
NRCS notes that healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Understanding soil health means assessing and managing soil so that it does function optimally now and is not degraded for future use.
And landowners are encouraged to learn more about the Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the NRCS and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for most of the nation’s counties. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information.
For more detailed information, contact your local USDA Service Center.