ABSTRACT
A review of soil conservation measures provides a useful example of man's positive manipulation of physical processes although, paradoxically, the need to undertake that manipulation frequently stems from his own mismanagement. While much attention in soil conservation is usually directed to remedial action in severely eroded areas, it is clearly preferable to minimize the problem where possible by avoiding areas of highest erosion hazard. Attention will be directed towards the ways in which man may positively modify the physical system to control soil erosion rather than the extent to which human activity can accelerate the process. The fundamental control on soil erosion by overland flow is rainfall in excess of the soil's infiltration capacity. They may involve either crop management or mechanical protection or commonly some combination of both depending on the intensity of soil erosion. Both bench terraces and irrigation terraces may incidentally help to reduce soil erosion, although this is not their prime purpose.
