Soil degradation, in both quantity and quality, is a global problem, and the implications are pretty massive: the balance of our climate, ecosystems, food security, economy, and health are all on the line.
Regenerative agriculture aims to restore soil by using no-till methods that don’t disturb the ground, cover crops that protect the soil, and crop rotations that keep pests and weeds under control. The use of livestock in managed holistic grazing plays a critical role in stimulating plant growth, root structures, and soil fertility by adding manure, saliva, and urine.
Estimates are that this practice can draw down enough carbon from the atmosphere to result in anywhere between a 15-100% reduction in all carbon released since the industrial revolution, depending on the scalability of soil carbon capture throughout the world’s varied ecosystems. Regardless, it’s a lot of carbon — 1 trillion tons. Not bad for just soil.
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