Inside This Issue

ISCA Annual Meeting Plans                       2         Workshop Announcement                        2 Soil Scientist Position                               2

 

President’s Column

 

Greetings from Northern Illinois!  I hope that you are having a productive summer.  In July I had the opportunity to attend the International Soil & Tillage Research Organization Triennial Conference in Brisbane, Australia.  Efforts to improve our understanding of soil response to different crop management systems are generating a lot of interest.  One of the things that made a deep impression on me was the state of soil mapping in other parts of the world.  The international delegation included representatives from over 30 different countries and it was educational to learn about the state of soil information transfer to the various user communities.  Many countries have coarse country-wide soil information, but there seems to be a lack of more detailed 2^nd order soil survey information.  Increasing the resolution of soil information is a focus of several select efforts.  Examples of this are the detailed soil mapping for wine vineyard layout (one backhoe pit characterized per acre) and Graham Shepherd’s work in New Zealand to help growers do visual soil assessment to determine limitations for crop growth.  Digital penetrometers continue to be an area of study as soil scientists try to quantify the impact of field operations on crop growth conditions.

 

Lots of interesting things are happening in soil science from agriculture to urban land use issues.  Our discipline continues to evolve, along with the rest of the scientific community, to address more real-world challenges, many which are global in nature.  The applications of soil information seem to increase with time.  Soil scientists are being called upon not only to help in matters of landuse planning (e.g., 2^nd order soil survey updates, wetland delineations, septic field sitings) but new application areas as well (e.g., impact of tillage equipment on soil conditions, golf course layout, non-invasive drain tile detection).  New methods for sensing soil attributes may enable soil scientists to increase the spatial resolution of their observations, focus more on soil attribute mapping, and help provide more interpretations of potential impact of soil properties on different applications.  It is an exciting time to be in soil science!

 

Feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns.

 

Regards,

Mark

Mark Stelford

815.761.0220

mark.stelford@EarthAgConsulting.com

 

ISCA Member Obituary

 

John E. "Jack" Paschke

John E. Paschke, 84, a prominent soil classifier in northern Illinois and formerly of Kankakee, IL, passed away on November 11, 2003 in Bonita Springs, FL.

Mr. Paschke earned a B.S. degree in Soils from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1941.  He was a veteran of WWII having served as a navigator with the US Army Air Corp in the South Pacific.  After the war, Paschke began a long career with the USDA Soil Conservation Service.  He authored numerous county soil reports for northern Illinois and assisted with soil classifications throughout Illinois and portions of Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana.  After 31 years of service with the SCS he became an independent soil classifier and worked to develop guidelines and soil ratings for municipal, county, state and federal agencies.  He was an active advocate for soil and natural resource conservation in Illinois.  Paschke was a founding member and past president of the Illinois Soil Classifiers Association and a long-time member of SSSA.  After 20 years as an independent soil classifier, he retired to Bonita Springs, FL in 1995. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Marguerite "Peg" Paschke of Bonita Springs, FL; sister Adeline Trudeau of Evansville, IN; three sons, Jack Paschke of Armonk, NY, Paul Paschke of Lakewood, CO, and Mark Paschke of Fort Collins, CO; five daughters, Mary Brand of Scottsdale, AZ, Jeanne Paschke of Frankfort, IL, Lucy Paschke of Estero, FL, Rita Paschke of Bloomington, IN, and Sara Parish of Durango, CO; as well as 16 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

 

December 1, 2003

ISCA 2004 Annual Meeting

 

The 2004 ISCA Annual Meeting wiil be held at Rend Lake Resort (Exit 77 on I-57, 17 miles south of Mt. Vernon) on March 6th.  Dan Rooney from EarthIT will be the speaker.  His subject will be Soil Information System (SIS) and more specifically the SIS and how it relates to a

project being done cooperatively with NRCS.

 

Following is a Summary From Dan:

 

   Our (EarthIT) NRCS project is going into its third year. In 2002 and 2003 we worked with the IL-NRCS in collaboration with Bob McLeese and Jim Doolittle. The objective of our project is to develop a soil mapping methodology for high intensity applications (precision ag for example). The methodolgy can also be used for construction site assessment, watershed scale mapping, archaeological surveys or wetland delineations. The study involves deploying the Soil Information System to the field in conjunction with a team of NRCS field personnel with the common goal of performing high detail sensor correlations. The NRCS crew determines the locations of representative profiles using a high resolution electromagnetic survey draped over a digital elevation model with centemeter level 3-D relative accuracy. This helps to avoid selecting an inclusion or anomolous soil in an area on the landscape that is otherwise representative of a particular soil profile given topography and expert knowledge alone. Earth Information Technologies then goes to the selected locations and performs vertical observations with a penetrometer that estimates soil compaction, texture, color, moisture, resistivity, and in-situ digital imagery (video). The pit is then excavated in such a way that the soil can be described that was in direct contact with the sensors. A database is being developed that takes a "typical" soil of a certain type and gives it a digital signature. It will be rare that any typical digital signature will exactly match locations taken on the same field let alone across multiple counties. However, it will be possible to quantify which soil a given observation is most similar too thus creating a tangible, standard method for creating 3-D, digital soil maps. In 2004 we have expanded our contract with the NRCS to include work in Iowa and Wisconsin as well as Illinois.

 

Information: A block of rooms have been set aside for the evening of March 5th.  For reservations call 618-629-2211 or 1-800-633-3341.  The block is held under the ISCA with block #4477.  The rates are $60.00 single occupancy and $69.00 double occupancy.  Make your reservation early.

 

More information on meeting time and meal cost will be in the next newsletter.  If you have any questions call Sam Indorante at 618-453-5577 (work).

 

Regards,

Sam Indorante

Program Chair

 

WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT

 

The Public Relations and Education Committee would like to announce that a workshop entitled “Soil and Land Management Strategies for Native Vegetation Establishment” will be held on Friday, February 20, 2004, at the DuPage County Government Complex in Wheaton, Illinois.  This workshop will feature speakers from both within and outside the ISCA discussing practical, field-level topics such as seedbed preparation, mass grading of wetland and prairie creation areas, natural area enhancement techniques, effects and minimization of soil compaction, native vegetation seeding and planting methods, characteristics and uses of biosolids, and regulatory perspectives on wetland and riparian enhancement/creation.  An interdisciplinary audience of soil scientists, ecologists, engineers, and regulators is expected to attend.  While this workshop expands the scope of traditional ISCA topics, it gives us an opportunity to expose non-soil scientists to knowledge we have that can greatly increase the success of natural area enhancement and creation projects.  A detailed agenda and registration form will be sent and/or emailed in mid-January to all ISCA members.  Please contact Todd Soukup, Jaimee Hammit, or Clayton Heffter if you would like to participate in this workshop or if you have any questions.

 

Soil Scientist Position

 

Onsite Environmental is currently looking for a qualified soil scientist. We are in need of an individual who loves to work outdoors with soil.

Our client does a lot of wetland delineation work in the northwestern suburbs. They are looking for someone with an educational background in a science-related field to do some soil work. Ideally we are looking for an individual who has experience in wetland delineation and loves working with soil. Salary is based on experience and it is long term position. Contact Meagan Kennel at 630-645-3528 or mkennel@onsitecompanies.com if you are interested.

 

 

Illinois Soil Classifiers Association

Minutes

ISCA Council Meeting

October 18, 2003

Ted McCannon’s Farm

Sugar Grove, Illinois

 

Present:

Mark Stelford, President

Lester Bushue, Past President

Mark Bramstedt, President Elect

Chris Cochran, Secretary

Bruce Houghtby, Chairman Ethics, Certification & Membership

Todd Soukup, Chairman Public Relations & Education

J. Wiley Scott, Guest

 

Upon adjournment of the Summer/Fall Meeting and Tour of soils developed in dense Wisconsinan till, the Council Meeting was called to order by President Mark Stelford at about 2pm. The agenda was amended and approved. The minutes from the meeting in Champaign, IL on May 23, 2003 were unanimously approved.

 

Secretary’s Report-Issued certificates of membership to Rob Rhykerd and Wayne Tomlinson. Supplied 215 magnets to Roger Windhorn for Farm Progress Show distribution. We have about 260 magnets left. Sold 2 green shirts. Stock remaining (shirts) 2 blue XL; 2 green XL; 2 blue 2XL; 1 green 2XL --(hats) 108 green and 114 blue. Dues renewal notice will be sent at the end of November. At this point discussion centered on the membership database. Mark Bramstedt suggested that current mailing list (including email addresses) be mailed to the executive council and the newsletter chairman.

Treasurer’s Report-No report

Certification Board-No report

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

Constitution, By-Laws & Legislative-Membership handbook is now in electronic format and is being updated into PDF format for the web site

Ethics, Certification & Membership-Jaimee Hammit’s application for Full membership has been received and approved. Council unanimously approved.

Public Relations and Education-Workshop for contractors is being planned for late February or early March focusing on soil conditions as it relates to wetlands mitigation and native vegetation restoration. Brochure for lay persons describing soil characteristics and their effect on permeability and its relationship to planning on-site septic systems is being developed. Mark Stelford suggested the use of the technical criteria for loading rates, developed by ISCA, be part of the brochure to ensure agreement with other aspects of the ISCA vision. Details on the workshop will be forthcoming in the next newsletter.

-Soil Monolith Display at the Smithsonian-each State is to raise $10,000 for an exhibit depicting their State soil. The exhibit is to be complete for the World Congress of Soil Science in 2006. California and Missouri are the only states that have raised sufficient funds to date. Mike Konen is the Illinois liaison for Soil Science Society of America for this effort. Mark Stelford suggested that an ad hoc be formed to work on raising money for this effort. Mark will approach Konen for chairing this committee.

Finance-No report

Newsletter-No report

Nominations-No nominations

Programs-Winter meeting is to be held at the Rend Lake Resort March 6, 2004. Alternate date is February 28, 2004. The meeting and date was unanimously approved.

AD HOC COMMITTEES

Illinois Conservation Congress-need ISCA representative for this to move forward. To date the Governor has not reconvened this advisory committee.

Historic-No report. Discussion about making this a standing committee was brought up. Suggestion to refer this to Constitution and By-Laws about making this position part of the Executive Council was made by Mark Bramstedt.

Technical Criteria-meeting is scheduled for this winter to finalize the loading rate key update and present it to the health department for a replacement in the State code.

ISCA Web page-Tom D’Avello and Mark Bramstedt will work on updating the ISCA web page. Karla Hanson expressed interest in becoming Webmaster.

State Advisory Committee on Private Sewage Disposal-Bruce Houghtby gave a brief update on what is happening between the health department and aeration system contractors within this committee.

OLD BUSINESS

Farm Progress Show-show was limited to one day due to weather. Pictures will appear in the newsletter and web site.

State Registration of Soil Scientists and Classifiers-No report

Summer/Fall Program-23 people showed up for the meeting and tour. Bruce Putman and Ted McCannon were credited for the successful tour.

NEW BUSINESS

Golf Course Superintendents Meeting-Don Fehrenbacher, Tom D’Avello and Mark Bramstedt are making a presentation November 4, 2004 in Medina Country Club regarding their work at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview.

Burt Ray Award-an email was sent to NIU, UI, ISU regarding the award. Rob Rhykerd submitted a nomination for the award for 2003. Bob Darmody handles the rules for granting the award. The award is $100. A motion was made to increase the award to $250 for 2003 if the rules allow. It was seconded and approved.

2004 National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest-ISU is hosting the event in the spring. A request for assistance will be forthcoming.

Standards for Certification-motion made to have Ethics, Certification and Membership committee review these criteria and recommend a change in requirements for being certified, i.e. a journeyman working under a certified soil classifier mapping soils. This is outdated since we no longer map soils in the traditional sense. Motion seconded and approved.

Bent Auger-Newsletter will solicit nominations.

Jackets, Shirts, Hats, Patches-table till next meeting.

 

Meeting adjourned at 5:30pm

 

 

Ken Gotsch, Mark Bramstedt and Roger Windhorn put a lot of work into the ISCA display at the Farm Progress Show.  The theme was A-Maze-ING Soils of  Illinois.  The maze featured some of the most common soils from around the state and a walk through soil pit. 

 

Students exiting the Maze.

 

 

Students and presenters in the soil pit.