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SOIL RESOURCES

"Soil" is material capable of supporting plant life. Soil forms through a variety of soil formation processes, and includes weathered "parent material" combined with dead and living organic matter and air. Soils are vital to all life on Earth because they support the growth of plants, which supply food and oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide and nitrogen. (From Wikipedia)

The San Joaquin soil became the official State Soil of California in 1997 with the help of some middle school students and their teacher who utilized the process as part of an integrated curriculum in his classroom. See the "California State Soil" Web page for additional history, soil profile information, photo, map, brochure, and poster link access.

Smithsonian Soil Exhibit

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is working with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, to plan a soils exhibit as part of their Forces of Change Program. The exhibit will include a display of state soil monoliths and an educational, interactive section to help the museum's more than six million visitors a year understand how soil is intricately linked to the health of humanity, the environment and the planet.

California Universities with Soil Science Courses

• UC Berkeley, Environmental Science, Policy & Management

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Soil Science Department

• UC Davis Land, Air and Water Resources Department

• California State University, Humboldt, Natural Resources and Sciences Department

• UC Riverside Soil & Water Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Sciences

• California State University, Fresno, Plant Sciences Department

• Reedley College, Agriculture and Technology Department

• California State University, Chico, College of Agriculture

• Cal Poly Pomona, College of Agriculture

On-Line Soil Resources

• Web Soil Survey

• USDA Natural Resouces Conservation Service

• USDA California Natural Resources Conservation Service

• California Soil Resource Lab

• Middle School Soil Teaching Unit

• California Forest Soils Council (CFCS)

• National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists

• Association of Women Soil Scientists (AWSS)

• United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations (USCSSA)

• Soil Science Society of America

• International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) -
  Note: Click on "IUSS Alerts" to see their monthly E-Newsletter updates

		Dedicated to the education, application, and advancement of soil science in California.
		Professional Soil Scientists Association of California P.O. Box 5972 Vacaville, CA 95696 Phone: (707) 447-2135 Ext. 2 Email: info@pssac.org
	Copyright © 2008 PSSAC	PSSAC is affiliated with the American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops and Soils (ARCPACS).	Link to PSSAC Home Page