Soil Resources Inventory

Soil sampling site at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Introduction

Through the partnership with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Soil Resources Inventory (SRI) projects help parks secure the information needed to manage soil sustainability and to protect water quality, wetlands, vegetation communities, and wildlife habitats. The information also assists in the control of exotic species and establishment of native communities, as well as management of high-use or developed areas in the park (e.g., visitor centers, campgrounds, trails, access roads).

Definition

The National Park Service defines soil as the unconsolidated portion of the earth's crust modified through physical, chemical, and biotic processes into a medium capable of supporting plant growth.

Soil Resources Inventory Products

The key SRI products are:

• Digital maps of the park soils

• Data about the physical, chemical, and biological properties of those soils

• Information on the use and management of these soils

• Metadata describing information sources and quality

• Informational products such as a soil survey manuscript, fact sheets, and image galleries

Park-specific Products

Park-specific Soil Resources Inventory products are available through the NPS Geodiversity Atlas:

NPS Geodiversity Atlas

Mapping Status

The SRI information is in sufficient detail for application by park managers, planners, engineers, scientists, and researchers to specific areas of concern. Although park soil resource inventories follow procedures identified by the National Cooperative Soil Survey, the specific work plans are customized by local park personnel to meet their soil resource management needs.

There are many challenges in completing a soil resource inventory on parklands, and many of our larger parks lack soil maps. Working cooperatively with the NRCS and several universities, the SRI is pursuing the use of new soil mapping technologies to facilitate data acquisition in remote areas, as well as those parks where wilderness designation or the presence of cultural landscapes preclude the use of traditional methods.

National Cooperative Soil Survey Partnership

The National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) is a nationwide partnership of federal, regional, state and local agencies; and private entities and institutions. This partnership works together to cooperatively investigate, inventory, document, classify, interpret, disseminate, and publish information about soils of the United States and its trust territories and commonwealths. The activities of the NCSS are carried out on national, regional, and state levels.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is responsible for the leadership of soil survey activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for the leadership and coordination of NCSS activities, and for the extension of soil survey technology to global applications. Additional information about the soil survey program is in the NRCS General Manual under Title 430, Part 402.

Partner Links

• Soil Education at the USDA-NRCS

• NRCS Guide to hydric soils

• Soil Health (Quality) at USDA-NRCS

• Soil Biology at USDA-NRCS

University Partners

There are many challenges in completing a soil resource inventory on parklands, and most of our larger parks lack soil maps. Working cooperatively with the NRCS and several universities, the SRI is pursuing the use of new soil mapping technologies to facilitate data acquisition in remote areas, as well as those parks where wilderness designation or the presence of cultural landscapes preclude the use of traditional methods.

Partner Links

• Soil Resources Program at Colorado State University

• University of California, Davis Soil Resource Laboratory

Related Links

Geologic Resources Inventory