Attitudes toward soils and their societal relevance: Then and now

Soils are relevant to society in diverse ways, supplying various economic a nd cultural services or functions as well as being the substrate for plants and a life-support system. Attitudes to the diverse kinds of soil resource s and resulting land-use practices throughout human history indicate that m ankind has frequently used other than the most fertile or easiest accessibl e soils. Many special techniques, such as terracing, have been developed to utilize and preserve less accessible land and shallow soil on slopes. Soil degradation and erosion following deforestation have frequently been a pro blem in the past, especially when some land was abandoned for cultural or e conomic reasons. Better data on current degree and extent of soil degradati on are needed. Man has made soils fertile on a large scale, providing more secure food res ources for the ever growing population. Yet, there is a growing threat to s oils, in many instances, on marginal soils or in less resilient soil region s. A good environmental ethic requires equally good soil care of open space s and of forests, woods, and deserts for better quality of life and for fut ure generations of town and country populations. For this purpose an Eleven th Commandment was formulated a generation ago, and efforts are now being m ade to institute an internationally secured global treaty or soil conventio n for better soil care and sustainable use of soils. Soil scientists need t o support such proposals and to bridge the gaps and differences between loc al and governmental efforts.