Alabama Celebrates Historic Milestone
Auburn, Ala, May 2, 2012 – The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is proud to announce the completion of its first generation soil survey that identifies soil conditions in Alabama. To mark this historic event, members of the Alabama Cooperative Soil Survey Partnership gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, as Governor Robert Bentley proclaimed January through July 2012 as the period for celebrating the next generation of the Alabama Cooperative Soil Survey Partnership.
This is a collaborative effort between NRCS, Alabama A&M, Auburn and Tuskegee Universities as well as other federal, state, and local partners such as the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts (AACD) and Alabama State Soil and Water Conservation Committee (SWCC). NRCS State Conservationist Dr. William Puckett said this group is committed to delivering science-based soils information to help people protect and maintain Alabama’s valuable resources. “Soil health is important to all of us. It supports plant growth, recycles nutrients, regulates and filters water flow, supports buildings and roads, and provides habitat for many plants and animals. It is vital to our existence.” said Puckett.
The proclamation noted the importance of promoting the conservation and wise use of Alabama’s soil, water, air, plant and animal resources. “The Alabama Cooperative Soil Survey Partnership has worked together for over a century to
investigate, inventory, document, classify, and interpret the soils of Alabama,” said MO-15 Team Leader Charles Love. A general soils map for Alabama was completed in 1929 and a comprehensive and detailed county level soil survey was completed in 2012.
Soil surveys are used by city planners, farmers, ranchers, developers, construction companies, teachers, realtors, and numerous other professionals. The“next generation” web-based soil survey is available 24 hours a day at: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov. A new smartphone application, or “app,” is available as a free download for both iPhone and Android users to access soil survey information.
The app, SoilWeb, combines online soil survey information with the GPS capabilities of smartphones. For more information about NRCS or the Soils Program visit: http://www.al.nrcs.usda.gov
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