Overview

The Urban Soils Team was created to address topics relevant to soils in the urban environment. Team members are experienced urban soil mappers and bring together a diverse perspective of urban soil issues from cities with various mapping needs and historical backgrounds.

• Coordinate urban activities across division (procedures, equipment, safety)
   
• Identify training needs
   
• Identify needs to update standards – propose solutions
   
• Identify needs to update taxonomy – propose solutions
   
• Assemble existing data
   
• Identify gaps
   
• Work with BOA and MGT to provide guidance on priority areas

• Urban Soil Survey Story Map
   
• Soil Survey Manual – Chapter 11. Human-Altered and Human-Transported Materials
   
• Urban Soils Fact Sheet (PDF; 2.28 MB)
   
• Urban Technical Notes
   
• Urban Soil Primer

Active Projects List:

• Support active urban soil survey projects
   
• Support planning of future soil survey projects
   
• Develop an urban dynamic soil property (DSP) project framework
   
• Review of horizon nomenclature conventions for soils formed in HAHT materials

Long-Range Plan:

• Launch Urban Soils Field Week to support active soil survey projects and deliver field training
   
• Assist efforts to modernize the Urban Soil Primer and Soil Risks and
  Hazards documents
   
• Develop Job aids, tech notes, training materials, and other resources
   
• Develop new urban soil Interpretations
   
• Develop suggested urban soil mapping guidelines or procedure
   
• Reimagine soil survey datasets for urban areas to meet local needs
  • E.g. soil artifact content database review
   
• Promote and expand the use of proximal sensors to support soil survey operations in urban areas

• Urban Soils Fact Sheet
   
• Urban Soil Survey Story map
   
• Technical review for Artesols soil order proposal in Soil Taxonomy
   
• FAO – GSP Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Technical Manual, Urban SOC documents (publication pending, 2021)
   
• Display skin for urban soil focus team
   
• HAHT Soil Series extent map (ESRI online map)
   
• Provided presentations at the Urban Soils Symposium during the 2019 SSSA Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX
  • Genesis of Urban Soils
  • Mapping of Urban Soils
   
• International Union of Soil Science – Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Military, and Mining Areas (SUITMA) conference participation
   
• Technical review for “Native Soil Properties and Qualities in Urban Soils” for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification
   
• NCSS webinar presentation – Urban Soil Mapping in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit
   
• Urban soil mapping presentation for the U.S. Geological Survey – Urban Landscapes Capability Team
   
• NCSS National & Regional Conferences poster & presentations
   
• Urban soils technical data evaluation and review for EPA

• Randy Riddle – Chair, MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader; Templeton, CA
• Greg Taylor – National Leader for Special Projects (including urban soils); Raleigh, NC

• Carl Fuller, Soil Scientist; Olympia WA
• Eric Gano, Soil Scientist; Flint, MI
• Kenny Hall, Soil Scientist; Rosenberg, TX
• Jacob Isleib, Resource Soil Scientist; Tolland CT
• Edwin Muniz, New Jersey State Soil Scientist; Somerset, NJ
• Kristine Ryan, South Carolina State Soil Scientist; Columbia, SC
• Sarah Smith, Soil Scientist; Aurora, IL
• Andy Steinert, MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader; Fort Morgan, CO
• Ralph Tucker, MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader; Union, MO and Marion, IL
• Olga Vargas, Resource Soil Scientist; Greenwich, NY

University Partners

• John Galbraith, Virginia Tech
• Jeffrey Howard, Wayne State University
• Bryant Scharenbroch, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point