European Soil Charter (1972)

1.
Soil
is one of h u m a n i t y ' s most p r e c i o u s assets. It a l l o w s plants, a n i m a l s and
man to l i v e on the e a r t h ' s surface
Soil is a l i v i n g and d y n a m i c m e d i u m w h i c h s u p p o r t s p l a n t and a n i m a l l i f e . It
is vital to m a n ' s e x i s t e n c e as a source of food and raw m a t e r i a l s . It is a f u n d a m e n t a l
p a r t of the b i o s p h e r e a n d , t o g e t h e r w i t h vegetation and c l i m a t e , h e l p s to r e g u l a t e the
c i r c u l a t i o n a n d a f f e c t s t h e q u a l i t y o f water.
Soil is an e n t i t y in i t s e l f . As it c o n t a i n s t r a c e s of the e v o l u t i o n of the earth
a n d i t s l i v i n g c r e a t u r e s , a n d i s t h e basic e l e m e n t o f t h e l a n d s c a p e , i t s s c i e n t i f i c a n d
c u l t u r a l i n t e r e s t m u s t b e t a k e n i n t o consideration.
2.
Soil is a l i m i t e d resource which is e a s i l y destroyed
Soil is a t h i n l a y e r c o v e r i n g part of the e a r t h ' s s u r f a c e . Its use is l i m i t e d by
c l i m a t e and t o p o g r a p h y . It f o r m s slowly by p h y s i c a l , p h y s i c o - c h e m i c a l , and biological
processes b u t i t c a n b e q u i c k l y d e s t r o y e d b y careless a c t i o n . I t s p r o d u c t i v e c a p a c i t y
can be i m p r o v e d by c a r e f u l m a n a g e m e n t o v e r years or decades b u t o n c e it is d i m i n i s h ed or destroyed
3.
r e c o n s t i t u t i o n of the soil may t a k e c e n t u r i e s .
Industrial s o c i e t y uses land for a g r i c u l t u r e as w e l l as for industrial and other
purposes.
A r e g i o n a l planning p o l i c y must be c o n c e i v e d in terms of the
pro-
perties of the soil and the needs of t o d a y ' s and t o m o r r o w ' s society
Soil may be put to m a n y uses and it is generally e x p l o i t e d a c c o r d i n g to econ o m i c a n d social n e c e s s i t y . B u t t h e u s e made o f i t m u s t d e p e n d o n i t s p r o p e r t i e s , i t s
fertility
a n d t h e socio-economic services w h i c h i t i s
capable o f p r o v i d i n g f o r t h e
world of today and tomorrow. These properties t h u s govern the s u i t a b i l i t y of land for
f a r m i n g , f o r e s t r y a n d o t h e r uses. D e s t r u c t i o n o f soil, i n p a r t i c u l a r f o r p u r e l y e c o n o m i c
reasons based on c o n s i d e r a t i o n s of short-term yield, m u s t be a v o i d e d .
M a r g i n a l l a n d s raise special p r o b l e m s and special o p p o r t u n i t i e s for soil cons e r v a t i o n because, p r o p e r l y manageds, t h e y h a v e g r e a t p o t e n t i a l a s n a t u r e reserves, r e afforestation
areas, p r o t e c t i o n zones against soil erosion and a v a l a n c h e s , reservoirs
and r e g u l a t o r s of w a t e r systems and as recreation zones.
4.
Farmers
and f o r e s t e r s must
apply
methods that
preserve
the q u a l i t y of
the
soil
M a c h i n e r y and modern t e c h n i q u e s p e r m i t considerable i n c r e a s e s in y i e l d s , b u t ,
i f u s e d i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y , t h e y m a y d i s r u p t t h e n a t u r a l b a l a n c e o f t h e soil, a l t e r i n g i t s
physical,
c h e m i c a l a n d biological c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . T h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f o r g a n i c m a t t e r
in the soil by i n a p p r o p r i a t e m e t h o d s of c u l t i v a t i o n and the m i s u s e of h e a v y m a c h i n e r y
are i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r s in i m p a i r i n g soil s t r u c t u r e and h e n c e the y i e l d of a r a b l e crops.
The
soil
s t r u c t u r e of grassland may be s i m i l a r l y damaged
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by i n t e n s i v e
stocking.
Forestry should put appropriate
emphasis on methods for improved exploita-
tion which will prevent soil deterioration.'
Methods of tillage and harvesting should conserve and improve the properties
of the soil. The i n t r o d u c t i o n of new techniques on a wide scale should be undertaken
only a f t e r its possible disadvantages have been studied.
5.
Soil must be protected against erosion
Soil is exposed to the w e a t h e r ; it is eroded by w a t e r , wind, snow and
Careless h u m a n activity
ice.
speeds up the process of erosion by damaging the soil's
s t r u c t u r e and its normal resistance to erosive action.
In all situations, s u i t a b l e physical and biological m e t h o d s m u s t be applied to
protect the soil against accelerated erosion. Special measures m u s t be taken in areas
liable to floods and avalanches.
6.
Soil must be protected against pollution
Certain chemical f e r t i l i s e r s and pesticides, used w i t h o u t d i s c e r n m e n t or control, may a c c u m u l a t e in c u l t i v a t e d land and may t h u s contribute to the pollution of
soil, groundwater, w a t e r courses, and air,
If
could
i n d u s t r y or a g r i c u l t u r e discharges toxic residues or organic
endanger
the land
and
water,
wastes t h a t
those responsible m u s t provide for a d e q u a t e
treatment of water or the disposal of wastes in suitable places, as well as for the
restoration of the d u m p i n g areas after use.
7.
Urban development must be planned so that it causes as little damage as possible to adjoining areas
Towns
obliterate
the
soil
upon
which
they
stand
and
effect neighbouring
areas as a result of p r o v i d i n g the i n f r a s t r u c t u r e necessary to u r b a n l i f e (roads, w a t e r
supplies etc.) and by producing growing q u a n t i t i e s of waste which m u s t be disposed
of.
Urban development must be concentrated and so planned t h a t it avoids as far
as possible t a k i n g over good soil and h a r m i n g or polluting soil in f a r m l a n d and forest,
in n a t u r e reserves and recreational areas.
8.
In civil engineering projects, the effects on adjacent land must be assessed
during planning, so that adequate protective measures can be reckoned in the
cost
Operations
such as the b u i l d i n g of dams, bridges, roads, canals, f a c t o r i e s or
houses may have a more or less permanent i n f l u e n c e on s u r r o u n d i n g l a n d , both close
at hand and at a distance. Often t h e y alter n a t u r a l drainage and w a t e r t a b l e s , Such
repercussions m u s t be assessed so t h a t suitable measures are t a k e n to c o u n t e r a c t
damage.
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Costs of measures to protect the surrounding area must be calculated at the
p l a n n i n g stage and, if the installation is temporary, costs of restoration must be included in the budget.
9.
An inventory of soil resources is indispensable
For e f f e c t i v e land p l a n n i n g and management and to permit the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of
a
g e n u i n e policy of conservation
and improvement, the properties of the
different
types of soil, t h e i r capabilities and d i s t r i b u t i o n , m u s t be k n o w n . Each country m u s t
m a k e an inventory, as detailed as necessary, of its soil resources.
Soil maps, supplemented as appropriate by special maps on land-use, geology,
real
and potential hydrogeology of soils, soil capability, vegetation, hydrology, and
the like, are necessary for this purpose. The production of such maps by specialised
agencies working together is a basic necessity in each country. These maps should
be prepared in such a way as to permit comparison at international level.
10.
Further
research
and
interdisciplinary
collaboration
are
required
to ensure
wise use and conservation of the soil
Research on soil and its use must be supported to the f u l l . On it depend the
p e r f e c t i n g of conservation
techniques in agriculture and forestry, the elaboration of
standards for the application of chemical fertilisers, the development of substitutes
for toxic pesticides, and methods of suppressing pollution.
Scientific research is essential to prevent the consequences of the wrong use
of the soil in any human activity. Because of the complexity of the problems involved,
such
research m u s t form part of the work of m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y centres. International
exchange of information and co-ordination m u s t also be encouraged.
11.
Soil conservation must be taught at all levelsand be kept to an ever-increasing
extent in the public eye
Increasing
publicity,
adapted
to national
and local
requirements, must
be
given to the need for conservation of the q u a l i t y of the soil and the m e t h o d s by which
t h i s aim can be achieved. A u t h o r i t i e s should strive to ensure t h a t the i n f o r m a t i o n
given to the p u b l i c by the mass media is scientifically correct.
Soil conservation principles m u s t be f u l l y included in teaching programmes at
all levels as an element of environmental education as such: at p r i m a r y ,
secondary
and u n i v e r s i t y levels. T e c h n i q u e s of soil conservation m u s t be t a u g h t in f a c u l t i e s ,
engineering,
12.
agricultural
and forestry
schools and to adults in rural
communities.
Governments and those in authority must purposefully plan and administer soil
resources
Soil is an essential but limited resource. Therefore, its use m u s t be planned
rationally, which means that the competent p l a n n i n g a u t h o r i t i e s m u s t not o n l y consider
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immediate needs but also ensure long-term conservation of the soil while increasing
or at least m a i n t a i n i n g its productive capacity.
A proper policy of soil conservation is
t h e r e f o r e needed, w h i c h implies an
appropriate a d m i n i s t r a t i v e structure necessarily centralised, and properly co-ordinated at the regional level, A p p r o p r i a t e legislation is also r e q u i r e d to allow the planned
a p p o r t i o n m e n t of land for d i f f e r e n t uses in regional and national development, to control t e c h n i q u e s of land-use which m i g h t cause deterioration or p o l l u t i o n of the e n v i r o n m e n t , to protect the soil against the inroads of natural and h u m a n hazards and where
necessary to restore it.
States w h i c h accept the principles set out above should u n d e r t a k e to devote
the necessary f u n d s to t h e i r implementation and promote a g e n u i n e soil conservation
policy.
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