There have various methods of soil conservation. Some of them are:
Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines can check the flow of water down the slopes. It is called contour ploughing. It can be practised on the hills.
Terrace cultivation: Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. It restricts soil erosion. It is practiced in western and central Himalayas.
Strip cropping: Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of wind. This method is called strip cropping.
Planting of shelter belts: Planting lines of trees to create shelter also checks the soil erosion. Rows of such trees are called Shelter Belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilisation of sand dunes and in stabilising the desert in western India.
