## 5 Soil and Water Conservation and Its Impacts on Microclimate  
There are several SWC techniques that can be implemented, e.g., vegetative, technical, mechanical, and chemical techniques [83; 84; 85; 21; 86; 87; 88]. SWC through vegetation techniques plays an important role in improving microclimate quality (Figure 2). In areas with low rainfall, soil conservation techniques can maintain soil moisture or provide water in the soil [89]. Vegetation significantly affects microclimate conditions by controlling the solar radiation received by the ground. Sufficient vegetation cover can reduce the heating effect. The air temperature in vegetated areas is also more comfortable than in non-vegetated areas. This is due to the plant leaves that can intercept, reflect, absorb, and transmit solar radiation. The effectiveness of those processes depends on each plant species' characteristics. Every species has varying shapes, forms, colours, textures, and sizes. Ecologically, trees can help improve air quality by lowering the microclimate temperature and absorbing water and air pollutants [90]. In addition, trees can also absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. SWC through a vegetation technique that covers areas with tree stands may help maintain soil moisture. This SWC technique is vital for protecting dry soil types prone to high temperatures, such as sandy and gravel soils [91]. Soil conservation through vegetation techniques is also crucial in maintaining other microclimate formations. It can significantly reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the soil, thus reducing the earth's surface and air temperature, wind speed, and increasing soil moisture and relative humidity in surrounding locations [92]. One of soil's abilities to store water, namely, soil moisture binding, controls the rate of evaporation or soil water loss. This evaporation rate can be restrained by adding organic matter to the soil [93]. By placing organic material on the soil surface, mulching reduces evaporation from the soil by cutting off water vapor transport between the soil surface and the atmosphere. Mulching can also hinder weed growth and transpiration. Previous research in Kulon Progo District, Yogyakarta Province, reported that such soil conditioning treatments changed soil thermal properties by reducing daily temperature fluctuations at 0-25 cm soil depth to 27-30 \({}^{\circ}\)C and reducing evaporation by 55-90% of relative air humidity [93]. Compared with tillage, mulching has significant advantages in maintaining \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**No.** & **Soil Characteristics and Substratum** & **Tolerable Erosion** \\  & & **Value (mm/year)** \\ \hline
1. & Very shallow soil over rocks & 0.0 \\
2. & Very shallow soil over weathered material (unconsolidated) & 0.4 \\
3. & The shallow soil above the material has weathered & 0.8 \\
4. & Soil of medium depth above the material has weathered & 1.2 \\
5. & Deep soil with impermeable subsoil water on a & 1.4 \\  & weathered substrate & 1.6 \\
6. & Deep soil with undersoil slow permeability, on top of the & 1.6 \\
7. & Substrate has weathered & 2.0 \\
8. & Deep soil with a deep permeable subsoil, over the substrate & 2.5 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Remarks: Soil of deep depth (>90 cm); soil of medium depth (50–90 cm); soil of shallow depth (25–50 cm); soil of very shallow depth (<25 cm).  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Successful indicator for soil and water conservation according to the tolerable erosion value. soil moisture [94], reducing water losses due to soil evaporation, and thus improving crop yields [95; 96; 97]. SWC activities in Indonesia have provided many benefits for microclimate improvement, especially for cooler ambient temperatures. Examples of these can be found in villages that successfully carried out SWC efforts through critical land rehabilitation, namely, Rancasalak Village in Garut Regency, Karangsari Village in Ciamis Regency, Selopamioro Village in Bantul Regency, and Kertowono Village in Lumajang Regency [98].