Fostering healthy soils is perfect for Earth Day
Carson Water Subconservancy District launched its April public service announcement in the Watershed Moments series, “Foster Healthy Soil,” highlighting how healthy soils grow nutritious food, reduce erosion, decrease drought impacts, and improve water quality. The video outlines simple actions we can all take to protect our soils so that they continue to contribute these benefits.
This video here describes the importance of soil health, and the simple actions people can take in their gardens, yards and fields that improve the health of the Carson River Watershed.
The 2022 PSA series aims to reward citizens with a year’s worth of promotions and incentives to encourage improved watershed stewardship and elevate the Carson River’s water quality .
“Fostering healthy soils is not complicated and the practices are quite simple, but changing our ways is not,” says Chuck Schembre, Environmental Scientist with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP). “Whether you are managing soils as a homeowner, farmer, or rancher, we can all take steps in the right direction to improve soil health. By reducing soil disturbance, keeping the soil covered and protected with mulch or living plants, and encouraging a diversity of plants and animals, we can foster the health of our soils and, in turn, improve the health of our watershed.”
Soils provide amazing services! Here in the Carson River Watershed, healthy soils:
• Grow a diversity of plants
• Support a diverse array of animal life including insects, worms, and microbes
• Store water like a sponge which reduces drought impacts
• Reduce flood impacts by soaking up and slowly releasing stormwater runoff to our rivers, lakes, streams, and groundwater
• Filter pollutants from stormwater and flooding
• Reduce the need for fertilizer
• Stores carbon
Throughout 2022, as part of the “I am Carson River Watershed” campaign, CWSD is launching a series of the Watershed Moments PSAs to engage and inform Nevadans about actions they can take at home, at work, and while in the community to contribute to healthier watershed and reduce polluted runoff. Take our on-line pledge and commit to taking these simple, everyday actions that can really make a difference! These videos are available in Spanish or with Spanish subtitles by scrolling and clicking on the Español button here.
Monthly promotional prizes will be given away to encourage watershed stewardship. Participants through social media may be eligible to win a free bag of compost! To be eligible to win, participants must watch the PSAs on social media, YouTube or the I Am Carson River Watershed website, complete the pledge, and send in their own “Fostering Healthy Soils” Watershed Moment video through the comments section of our Facebook Page or Instagram Stories. Additionally, participants can comment and tag us @CarsonRiverWatershed on Facebook and/or Instagram using #MyWatershedMoment. Social media submissions should highlight actions citizens personally take to foster healthy soils and maintain a healthy Carson River Watershed.
I am Carson River Watershed, and you are too! Please foster healthy soils and protect our watershed from harmful pollutants!
To learn more, visit https://iamcarsonriver.org and follow Carson River Watershed on Facebook and/or Instagram. For media inquiries, contact Brenda Hunt, brenda@cwsd.org, 775.887.9005.