Soil Health in a Changing Climate

You are not alone if you have ever stayed up worrying about the climate crisis, and what has

already been lost as well as what remains to be lost. Anxiety surrounding these issues is

common in a changing climate and in younger generations. Furthermore, it's easy to feel

helpless amongst global issues like declining biodiversity or sea level rise. However, I have

found that sometimes the overlooked parts of our ecosystem are the most significant. This is

especially true after spending two weeks on a field course in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and

South Dakota learning about land rehabilitation in a changing climate.

Although many don’t expect the dirt in our communities to tell us much, soil health is the basis

for biodiversity, clean water, food security, and even climate stability. Soils are revealing a story in the West, where mining, wildfires, overgrazing, and temperature extremes all come together. We took soil samples, walked through open-pit mines and ranches, stood in riparian zones that had been degraded, and heard from miners, ranchers, and environmentalists about their experiences trying to "heal" the land. And if there’s one quote that’s stuck with me, it’s this: “Soil doesn’t need holidays” which came from Charlotte, a rancher in southeastern Montana.

Charlotte took a hands-on approach to land rehabilitation. She is bringing back riparian areas

that have been impacted by wildfires, erosion, and hydrophobic soils (caused by burned organic materials). She shows a lot of care in the responsibilities of natural water control, which has decreased due to fewer beavers in the area. She has a lot of important projects in the works, but it's obvious that she needs help. More assistance is needed for a landscape this size invested in land regeneration, especially since she is looking into the bigger picture and projects in places that weren't caused by her grazing.

We learned from other land stewards and ranchers as well, such as Glenn at his family ranch in Idaho. He was interested in experimenting with "regenerative" approaches such as rotational grazing. Being a very enthusiastic ranch owner, he was genuinely interested in understanding the effect of grazing on soil health. He had established "test zones" for grazing in order to see how various patterns affected recovery. His approaches were based on science and an honest interest to improve the land, even though some of his branding felt a touch slick. His strategy of viewing the ranch as a living laboratory was an interesting perspective, especially with a ranch the size of his.

Although these two viewpoints were very different, they had one thing in common: they both

considered soil health to be essential and were determined to improve it.

Then there is the mining problem. We visited a number of locations throughout our trip, some of which were existing for a long time, while others were either new or still in the development

stages. In terms of the environment, mining is frequently a bad guy, but sometimes it is more

complex. Materials from the mines are essential for how we live today, but the impact on our

environment, (particularly soil health), is sometimes outstanding. Though they are necessary for solar panels, electric cars, phones, and even infrastructure, mining can significantly disturb soil ecosystems if it is not closely monitored.

Some operations are actively planning for long-term land restoration and figuring out how to

reduce their impact. We met with people constructing extensive containment plans and well

planned reclamation schedules, some taking decades to complete. Although these initiatives do not completely offset the effects, they demonstrate how discussions about sustainability and mining are slowly changing.

However, there is a large difference between regenerating soil on a ranch and doing it after

massive mining. Soil takes centuries to create. If it is impacted, restoration will take a lot longer than expected. Rebuilding the land, whether it's a grazing area or a former mining site, takes patience and continuous effort.

After spending two weeks in the field, I understood that soil health is more than just a technical issue, it's a human one. Public policy, economic drivers, the state of our climate, and community values all influence it. From ranchers to reclamation experts, everyone we encountered was attempting to take care of the land in their own unique manner.

If you’re feeling trapped by the large scale of the climate crisis, maybe the way forward isn’t just through big global fixes. Being an intern at One Green Thing has taught me that the little things we are able to do or get our hands on day to day helps. Whether it's going outside and

respecting the planet, or working in the field to help restore our soils, doing something everyday is what matters. Soil may seem small and insignificant, but it's the foundation of our food, water, carbon storage, and ecosystem resilience.

So no, soil doesn’t take breaks. And if we want a future where life continues to thrive, neither

can we.