Society of Soil Scientists of Southern New England: Announcements and Events
Course Description
Soil Morphology and Mapping (PLNTSOIL 597T)
Instructor: Peter C. Fletcher
Upon completion of this course, participants will be proficient in describing, documenting, and interpreting a broad spectrum of soil conditions on different New England landscapes. There are 7 class sessions and each is held at a different location throughout Southern New England (CT, MA, and RI). Classes typically meet every other week and alternate between Fridays and Saturdays. Each class session begins with a 2 hour lecture that is followed by 4 hours of field exercises.
Key to the continuing success of this course is the field site locations. Each emphasizes a different New England landscape with unique landforms and varied soil conditions. Participants will be given instruction on how to read landscapes and understand the geologic processes that formed them. Landscapes visited during this course will include: glacial till (moraines, drumlins, etc.), glacial outwash (outwash plains, eskers, kames, kettles, etc.), glacial lakebed silts and clays (varved deposits, deltas, etc.), alluvial (floodplain, meander scars, etc.), organic deposits (kettle bogs), and marine sediments (sand dunes, beaches, and tidal marshes).
Participants will gain valuable field experience and will become proficient at:
Describing soil profiles, and identifying soil horizons and layers;
Estimating soil textures, percent sand, silt, and clay;
Documenting soil colors using the Munsell Color Book;
Interpreting depth to seasonal high water table using redoximorphic features; and
Describing soil structure and consistence.
Other topics covered will include hydric soil identification and describing a deep hole for soil evaluation.
For those qualified, this course is offered as either an undergraduate or graduate level course. Participants will be expected to:
Research and study available reference materials prior to each class session
Maintain a field notebook documenting the field exercises
Complete a field project that is relevant to their work and/or interests
For information on how to register for this course please contact Sue O’Neil at the University of Massachusetts, Dept. of Continuing Education (413-545 2484).
PLNTSOIL 597T - Soil Morphology and MappingCourse
Class I: Friday, April 4, 2008 at Cape Cod Community College, Barnstable, MA.
Class 2: Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle, MA. call 978 369 6312 and reserve the meeting room in main office.
Class 3: Friday, May 2, 2008 at Cape Cod Community College, Barnstable, MA.
Class 4: Saturday, May 17, 2008 at Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA.
Class 5: Friday, May 30, 2008 at Berkshire Community College Extension in Great Barrington (not at their main campus in Pittsfield), MA.
Class 6: Time and location to be announced
Class 7: June 28, 2008 at Sudbury Valley Trustees Office at Wolbach Road, Sudbury, MA