**1. Introduction**

The ecosystem plays a very paramount role in support of human life. This is manifested in the four forms established by the 2005 Millennial Assessment of Ecosystems (TMAE), namely: 1. Provision of habitat, food, fiber and water; 2. Regulation of climatic conditions, water and air quality; 3. Support system for the formation of soils, recycling of soil nutrients, as well as soil health and quality and preservation of biodiversity; and 4. Cultural support involves cultural beliefs, tourism and recreation as well as herbal benefits [1, 2]. It is moreover, emphasized by [2] that ecosystems are essential for human life, with which without, there is no life. It can further be argued that an ecosystem is an anchor to human life. Ecosystem refers to the community of living organisms, their diverse physical environment, and their interrelationships within a unit space [3]. It is that environment that supports the flow of energy. As per [4], ecosystems aid in carbon sequestration as well as

the preservation of both biotic and abiotic organisms. This, therefore, is evidence enough to argue that forests support human life and their management is a policy matter.

However, growing scientific concerns point to the fact that the support and services humanity receives from the world's ecosystems are on a rapid decline due to forest degradation [1, 2, 5]. Forest refers to a complex ecological system with interdepended, interrelated and interconnected elements of both the biotic and abiotic organisms largely dominated by trees [1]. Furthermore, this may not be limited to the only current dominance of trees, as geographers argue that forests exist in the past, the now and the future. However, 31% of the worldwide land is under threat of degradation and this has negative implications for human life [6]. Therefore, this threat calls for proper forest management so that future generations will benefit from the diverse services and support of the same forest and ecosystems we benefit from now. Moreover, the degradation of our global forests is a result of factors such as climate change, veld fires, pests and diseases, air pollution, land pollution, forest fragmentation, and soil erosion and degradation [1–3].

Forest management is the practical application of efforts in controlling the use and exploitation of our forests by means of policy, administration, social, economic, environmental and technical aspects [6]. It is furthermore, a critical process which determines the existence and preservation of our forests for continued and/ or sustainable development across the world. Hence, the concept of Conservation Agriculture (CA), seeks to preserve and where possible improve the natural resources humanity has access to, for the production of food and fiber. Conservation Agriculture refers to a farming system that aid in the preservation of arable lands and natural resources while improving degraded lands [7]. This is possible when the three principles of CA are practiced across the Agriculture and Forestry sectors. The three pillars of CA are Minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop diversification [7, 8]. CA has the potential to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15, namely: Climate Action and Life on Land, respectively. Therefore, this paper delineates the concept of CA in the context of forestry, highlights the CA practices for forest management, and presents the implications of CA in forest management. On the implications of CA in forest management, the chapter is mainly focused on the environmental aspects instead of a broader scope around social, economic and environmental aspects.

#### **1.1 Delineation of conservation agriculture**

Conservation Agriculture (CA) was first introduced in 1930, aiming at improving agricultural production and performance, profitability as well as sustainable farming and food security to fight poverty across the world [7]. Significantly, CA helps to further achieve Sustainable Development Goals 1, 13 and 15, that is Zero Hunger, Climate Action and Life on Land, respectively. Minimal soil disturbance, optimal soil cover and crop diversification are the three main pillars of CA [7, 8]. According to [8–11], CA is a resource-saving farming mechanism. Therefore, forestry cannot be an exception in the use of this beneficial farming system. This is to be done in line with the aim of forest management outlined in the introduction of this chapter, which is to ensure the preservation of forests and improve degraded forests across the world. **Figure 1** illustrates the three pillars of CA. The CA pillars are very practical, even in forest management. These come with enormous benefits such as reduced production costs, reduces soil compaction, improves soil health and structure, reduces soil

*The Implications of Conservation Agriculture in Forests Management against Soil Erosion… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109755*

**Figure 1.** *The pillars of conservation agriculture.*

erosion, minimized soil water evaporation, enhanced soil nutrient status, enhanced biological and microbial activities, improves soil water-holding capacity, improves Cation Exchange Capacity, improves the management of weeds, pests and diseases and leads to improved livelihoods and food security [9, 12–14].

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an agricultural system with the power to conserve natural resources, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as enhancement of soil health and fertility [10]. In the quest to conserve nature, the powerful, agricultural system (CA), uses its three pillars (already highlighted in sections above) as guiding principles to be practiced simultaneously. Conservation agriculture, through the application of the three pillars, prohibits the burning of the crop remains, while promoting the use of integrated pest management and the use of green manure which has the ability to produce residue soil cover. It further limits the movements of humans and machinery on agricultural soils which also leads to soil compaction [9, 12]. According to [15, 16] minimal soil disturbance refers to the tilling of the ground or turning of the soil with an aim of not disturbing the microbial life, without exposing the soil to harsh climatic conditions (especially too high temperatures) and erosion (either by wind or water).

Moreover, this practice involves the conservation tillage practices such as zero tillage and reduced tillage. Zero tillage and minimal tillage both involve direct seeding [17]. Minimal soil disturbance is the first pillar of conservation agriculture, and it helps to retain moisture in the soil, increases soil organic matter content, improves soil health and also helps to mitigate the effects of high climatic conditions [17–19]. On the other hand, permanent soil cover is mainly practiced through the organic mulch, green manure, retention of crop residue as well as plastic mulch. However, conservation agriculture promotes organic mulch as well as the retention of crop residue [7, 8, 20]. Soil cover protects the soil from harsh climatic conditions (such as the sun and rain). Furthermore, permanent soil cover helps to enhance the microbial activities in the soil, enhances soil fertility, and conserves soil moisture and nutrients. Permanent soil organic cover plays a huge role also in suppressing weeds and controlling pests and diseases [13, 19]. Moreover, it positively contributes to the improvement of soil's physical, chemical and biological properties.

Remarkably, an improvement in the soil's chemical, physical and biological properties improves the structure of the soil [18]. The more the soil structure is improved, the more soil fertility is improved. Therefore, permanent soil cover, significantly, benefit farmers in terms of soil water conservation, weeds, pests and diseases management, soil fertility enhancement, as well as the protection of the soil from climatically harsh conditions. Crop rotation assists in the improvement of crop nutrition, improves the farming system's resilience, manages pests, diseases and weeds, and improves microbial activities as well as enhancing the farm's agronomic output and economic efficiency [9, 13, 17–19]. Therefore, the three pillars of CA practiced simultaneously can yield good results. It is also evident, that CA is the vehicle farmers require, in order to achieve sustainable agriculture and adapt to the ever-changing climate. It can never be overemphasized that this powerful farming system is important for forest management for both sustainable development and nature conservation.

#### *1.1.1 Delineation of conservation agriculture in the context of forestry*

Agroforestry (AF) and Conservation Agriculture (CA) cannot be separated because they complement each other for the success of nature conservation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 13 and 15 as articulated in the introduction of this chapter. Agroforestry refers to a farming system that seeks to manage the land by means of combining agriculture, shrubs and trees [18]. Agroforestry also comes with some known benefits for both the environment and human life, such involves improved soil health, higher yields and chances of maximizing income for improved livelihoods [18, 21]. Forests are a support system for the ecological systems (ecosystems) and they do this through the continuous production and conservation of the soils, water and air [1, 21]. The conservation and enhancement of the soil and water in our forests through Forest Conservation Management Practices [FCMP] guarantees the prevention of land degradation, and desertification [21]. These further reduce the already existing risks of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and landslides. Conservation Agriculture is key to ensuring proper or conservative management of our forests across the world. Therefore CA in the context of forestry refers to a farming system which applies conservation principles in the management of forests to ensure the sustainable development and conservation of natural resources, simultaneously. These are made possible by the key principles of CA, namely: optimal ground or soil cover and minimal soil disturbance.

Ground cover is a strategy employed by forest managers, both in natural and planted forests to ensure reduced surface runoff and erosion in forests in order to achieve optimal forest performance [3, 5, 6]. On the other hand, minimal soil disturbance is the strategy to produce similar results as ground cover, however, it restricts ground tillers to turn the soils deep [7]. Ground cover, therefore, refers to conservation agricultural practice that involves allowing low-growing shrubs and/or planting low-growing plants, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers in order to prevent soil erosion [3–7]. While minimal soil disturbance, by definition refers to the farming practice that involves all ways of farming which avoids tilling the ground or soil [13]. This in the agricultural sector can be understood as direct seeding, which happens mostly, without disturbing the soil with the use of mechanical implements. Both these principles of Conservation Agriculture are essential to yield soil preservation, which then assures forest conservation. In the absence of soils, there can be no trees or forests. Hence, the CA practices aid to conserve and improve the soils in our forests.

*The Implications of Conservation Agriculture in Forests Management against Soil Erosion… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109755*
