Promoting soil science in the urban environment—partnerships in New York City, NY, USA

Abstract

To remain relevant in a changing world, soil survey and soil science need to look beyond the traditional to urban applications. Urban and suburban areas generally have the highest population densities and land values and arguably the greatest need for the ecosystem services that soil can provide. The urban environment poses a distinctive set of challenges for soil scientists. The description, classification, and mapping of soils in human-altered and human-transported materials is the charge of the field soil scientist, extending above and beyond the urban setting. Environmental professionals, planners, educators, and students in urban areas are often unfamiliar with soil survey and soil science in general. This paper discusses a successful approach to establishing a soil survey or soil science program in the urban community. For over 20 years, the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) and the New York City Soil and Water Conservation District (NYCSWCD) have conducted a soil survey program in New York City, producing multiple soil surveys at different scales, culminating in a 1:12000 scale survey posted on the Web Soil Survey site in 2014. The multifaceted program has also included onsite investigations, research projects, and an education and outreach component including lectures, training sessions, and workshops, as well as volunteer and internship opportunities. New and innovative approaches in soil survey methods, product design and delivery, and outreach have been used, as appropriate, to best fit the needs of the urban environment. The NYC Soil Survey program has built a succession of partnerships with government agencies, colleges, universities, and community and commercial groups, resulting in a variety of products and services to meet local soil science needs. Over time, the program has successfully been able to raise awareness of soil science in the urban environment, establish a USDA-NRCS presence in the City, and provide useful soil information to an underserved segment of the population. Making the local connection, listening to local needs, offering a multifaceted and wide array of soil science-related services, exploring innovative approaches, and creating partnerships have shown to be successful components of establishing a soil survey program in the urban environment.