Soil is a Resource
Soil provides services and functions that are essential for life. For one, soil is an important source for medicine (such as penicillin). Dirt alone (clay, sand, silt) cannot support life. It is soil that provides the growing medium for plants from which food is derived. Soil also filters and cleans our water, reduces flooding, and plays a crucial role in nutrient cycles, including the capture and storage of carbon. Soil has immense biodiversity - nearly 25% of species on Earth live underground, and a single teaspoon contains up to 6 billion microorganisms!
Preserving and Improving Soil Health
Soil is arguably the most underappreciated resource of the natural world. As our soil health is depleted, so too is the ability to provide the vital services and functions. Soil health involves treating the soil as the living ecosystem that it is. This includes returning organic matter to the soil on a continual basis. The Johnson County Soil Health Program offers programs to assist residents to do just that!
Dig In!
Johnson County provides two opportunities for residents to improve soil health on their properties. In addition, the County also collects soil data on County right-of-way along public roads to assess the effects of different land management practices on soil health. To learn more and participate in these programs, follow the links below.