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Do you need help making the soil characterization measurements?

Some of you were trained in GLOBE I and have never been trained in the Soil Characterization protocols. The protocols and supporting information are in the 1996 and 1997 versions of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide and all changes from 1996 to 1997 versions are detailed in the 1997 Supplement. Even so, this is probably a new area of science for you, and you may need some extra help. Some of you may be feeling uncomfortable presenting this new material without having more experience with the methods and concepts. There are many other resources to help you with these protocols, and I hope you will use them. While these measurements may seem hard at first glance, remember that they only involve exposing the soil and then looking at it, closely feeling it, and doing a few lab tests on samples of it. You and your students can do these measurements in the same way that professional soil scientists, such as myself, do them.

PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY!
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have a problem, question, or concern. I need to get your feedback about these measurements so that I can continue to improve them. I look forward to hearing from all of you about your experiences with the Soil Characterization protocol!  I want you and your students as partners in my research.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES
There are resources within your own local community to help with the GLOBE soil protocols and questions about soils. Globally, there are local agencies, Universities, and Colleges with experts in soils who would can provide you with some assistance.

In the US: In the US, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (formerly Soil Conservation Service) has an office in every region of the country, and in almost every county. These offices can usually provide a Soil Scientist to visit your school and answer questions you may have. They also generally have access to soil maps and other interesting information about your location. Soil experts can also be found within the USDA in the Forest Service, Agricultural Research Service, and Cooperative State Research and Extension Service. These agencies can be found in the telephone book as well as on the Internet.

In GLOBE partner Countries: In other partner countries, check with your local ministries of Agriculture, Environment, or Natural resources for Soil Scientist expertise.  Also agencies such as the Foreign Agricultural Service and the Peace Corps may have Soil Scientists on their staff.

If you have trouble finding these resources, please feel free to contact me and I will try to find some local help for you.

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