Soil Erosion: Founding FSEFTF

 ( Disclaimer: This is for a college assignment and contains fictious material that is not intended for an outside audience). 

    FSEFTF:  "Fighting Soil Erosion For the Future"

    Soil Erosion is an ongoing environmental issue that is extremely detrimental to the Grand Forks area. "FSEFTF" was created by founder Mike Olson in 2012 as an attempt to slow the soil erosion in the community. The company was created when Mike Olson's family home was destroyed by the fluctuating river. He found a real passion for this cause because he doesn't want others to go through what his family went through. In the past 8 years the organization has helped many farmers and ranchers develop new ways of ditching and pestiside use without causing economic distress for the community. 

Soil erosion effects farming communities more than others, as due to frequent use of the soil, they put greater stress on it, thus accelerating the rate of erosion. This also creates a vicious uncontrollable cycle, which inevitably leads to the land being destroyed. You see, soil erosion occurs as a result of the movement of soil, and an absence of what are called buffer organisms; such as trees or praerie grass. Each farming cycle, the crop is removed during the winter, which causes the soil to be forced away, and then in the subsequent spring, the soil is tilled further disrupting it. As erosion occurs, more fertilizer has to be added, and the soil much be tilled deeper and deeper, until none of the soil is left. This phenomenon is not unique to North Dakota, as the great southern dustbown during the great depression was the worst possible instance.

As a farmer and a rancher, Mike Olson feels that he is uniquely equipped to educate the community on the potential impacts of soil erosion, and feels a sense of responsibility for contributing to the wreckless practices which ultimately lead to the destruction of his and his neighbors farm. Mike's goal is to educate ranchers on the long term impacts, and in the past 8 years has held seminars in over 150 farming communities. While farmers are initially reluctant to adopt Mike's practices, he has noted that farmers fudamentally want one thing, to ensure their lifestyle can be continued by the next generation. "When you phrase this not as a six month issue, but as a generational one, farmers wake up. They realize if they ruin the land, our small towns will be destroyed, and ultimately the praerie lifestyle we love will disappear." Mike remains optimitic for his future, and hopes that those interested will check out his website to scheule either a virtual or personal seminar. Check out www.savethepraerie.com, to create a virtual townhall with Mike or to schedule him coming to your small town. 

    Farmer Mike observes the soil for signs of erosion