PL
Soil plays an invaluable role in nature. It provides space for plants to grow, stores water, filters pollutants, and supports countless biological processes. It is the foundation of our food security, the key to a stable water cycle, and a natural barrier protecting ecosystems from degradation. However, we don’t always remember this.
That’s why December 5th was designated World Soil Day. Its first edition was celebrated by the International Union of Soil Science Societies in 2002, and in 2013, the UN General Assembly, on the recommendation of the FAO, officially adopted a resolution designating December 5th as World Soil Day. This global initiative aims to draw attention to threats occurring just below the earth’s surface: depletion, erosion, declining humus content, and the decreasing capacity to retain water.
Due to increasing drought, maintaining soil health has become one of the most important adaptation measures in the era of climate change.
Soil Health Determines Drought Resistance
Healthy soil acts like a sponge – thanks to its humus content, microorganisms, and natural structure, it can absorb and retain rainwater even during short, intense rainfalls.
When soil is degraded (excessively compacted, devoid of vegetation, regularly plowed, or exposed to erosion), its water retention capacity decreases significantly. Instead of percolating into the soil, water runs off the surface, exacerbating the effects of water shortages and leading to landscape damage. Furthermore, water that doesn’t accumulate in the ground can lead to flooding.
Therefore, maintaining soil health is one of the key measures to combat both drought and flooding. Simply supporting low-level soil retention will help stabilize the local microclimate and reduce the impact of extreme weather events.
What Are the Threats To Soils In Poland?
In recent years, soils in Poland have faced a growing number of challenges. These include:
- Soil drought, which is increasingly common in spring and summer. This is a lack of water in the soil layers used by plants. It is related to soil moisture, but does not necessarily mean crop losses.
- Wind and water erosion, which involves the destruction of soil by wind and water, accelerated by intensive cultivation and a lack of plant cover (when plants are absent and the soil is exposed, the wind can carry away the smallest particles, and heavy rain washes away the top, most valuable layer).
- Decrease in humus content – i.e., the gradual “exhaustion” of soil. Humus is the most valuable component of soil: it stores water, nourishes plants, and makes the soil plump and fertile. For example, when frequent plowing or monoculture is used, the soil becomes harder, less fertile, and less water-retentive, which over time reduces yields and increases susceptibility to drought.
- Sealing the soil – when the soil becomes covered, it loses its ability to absorb water and “breathe.” Each such patch acts like an umbrella: rain runs off the surface instead of feeding the soil, causing the soil to dry out faster and become less drought-resistant.
- Contamination and acidification – excess fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial waste alter the natural soil environment, and its acidity can increase. Beneficial microorganisms are killed in such soil, and the soil’s ability to retain water and nourish plants decreases, causing the soil to dry out faster and less drought-resistant.
How to Protect Soil? Key Actions
Soil protection requires long-term and diverse actions at many levels and stages – from agriculture to spatial planning. The most important include:
1. Increasing soil humus content by using organic fertilizers, catch crops, compost, and leaving plant residues in the field.
2. Reducing intensive tillage – simplified and no-till methods reduce erosion and improve soil structure.
3. Maintaining plant cover – vegetation protects the soil from wind and rain, increases its stability and permeability.
4. Protecting organic soils (peatlands), which are among the most valuable water and carbon reservoirs in Poland.
5. Retaining water in the landscape. Retention projects, such as creating sluices, small reservoirs, and restoring wetlands, support soil water storage.
6. Reducing land sealing – replacing concrete with permeable surfaces increases the chance of water infiltrating into the soil and reduces the risk of flash floods.
Soil and Climate Change – A Little-Discussed Topic
Soil is one of the largest natural carbon stores on Earth. When maintained in good condition, it contains up to three times more carbon than the entire atmosphere. When soil degrades, it loses carbon, which ends up in the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse effect. Therefore, December 5th is also a reminder that soil protection is important not only for agriculture and water retention, but also for global efforts towards climate neutrality.
In the context of drought, World Soil Day aligns with the goals of the “Stop Drought! Start Retention!” project. Above all, it draws attention to the need to improve water retention processes in nature: in the landscape, in natural water bodies – and precisely in the soil.
Without healthy soil, water retention is impossible, because water retention begins with the presence of microorganisms and humus. This means that each of us has an impact on the condition of the earth. By choosing how to manage our gardens, maintaining urban greenery, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, or limiting the use of concrete in our spaces, we can contribute to a tangible improvement in the local water cycle.
World Soil Day is the perfect time to draw attention to a resource we don’t pay attention to on a daily basis, yet on which so much of our lives depends: soil. Thanks to it, we can improve drought resistance, river health, biodiversity, and climate stability, as well as ensure better agricultural yields.
Healthy soil is our best natural reservoir of water. The most effective way to improve its condition, and therefore counteract drought in Poland, is through small-scale water retention. Investing in it is an investment in our future. So, let’s take care of our soil – it is humanity’s invaluable ally in retaining water in the landscape.
