The Jory Soil Series was first established in 1970 in Benton County and is named after Jory Hill in neighboring Marion County. Jory soil is identified in nine western Oregon counties on about 300,000 acres. The soil can be recognized by its red color and can be observed on the foothills on the east and west sides of the Willamette Valley when traveling on Interstate 5 highway. The Jory soil series is a benchmark soil.
The native vegetation of Jory soils consists of a coniferous forest with an overstory dominated by Douglas fir (Oregon state tree). The overstory also has minor amounts of Oregon white oak and big leaf maple trees and the understory is composed of numerous shrubs, forbs, and grasses. In its native state, Jory is a very productive forest soil and is used for timber production. Also, it is used for wildlife habitat, especially in its native state. Many areas have been cleared of the native vegetation and are used for agriculture. Important crops include many varieties of grass seed, Christmas trees, pasture, wheat, numerous fruit berries, hazelnuts (filberts), and wine grapes. With the growth of the wine industry in Oregon, vineyards are being established on many hundreds of acres of Jory soil each year.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
Tags: Oregon State Soil Jory state soil Jory Jory soil and landscape Jory soil series
© All Rights Reserved
The selection of the Hazleton Soil Series as the official state soil began in 1995 when the Pennsylvania Association of Professional Soil Scientists (PAPSS) and the Pennsylvania Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collaborated on efforts to prepare for the National Soil Survey Centennial Celebration in 1999. Pennsylvania’s Soil Survey Centennial was celebrated in 2000 based on the first soil survey published in 1900 for “The Lancaster Area”. In order to increase awareness of our most important natural resource, many states developed plans to designate state soils as part of the centennial celebration.
Hazleton soils can be used for agriculture (growing foods, raising animals, stables); engineering (roads, buildings, tunnels); ecology (wildlife habitat, wetlands), recreation (ball fields, playground, camp areas) and more. Pennsylvania’s state flower is the Mountain Laurel, the state tree is the Eastern Hemlock, the state bird is the Ruffed Grouse, and the state animal is the Whitetail Deer–all of which thrive on Hazleton soil locations. In addition, the world renowned state of black cherry timber (and other specialty hardwood trees) are growing in Hazleton soils located in the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
Tags: Pennsylvania State Soil Hazleton State Soil State Soil Hazleton Hazleton soil series Hazleton soil
© All Rights Reserved
The Narragansett Soil Series was first established in Kent and Washington Counties, Rhode Island in 1934. The soil series is named for the town where the soil was first mapped and classified. The town of Narragansett was named for the indigenous Narragansett Tribe. Narragansett is an English alteration of Nanhigganeuck, their actual name meaning “people of the small point.” In 1979 an Act to designate the Narragansett Silt Loam as the Official State Soil of Rhode Island was enacted by the General Assembly, the Act did not pass the legislative process so the series is not officially considered the Rhode Island State Soil.
Narragansett soil was selected to be the state soil for Rhode Island because it is well suited for most land-uses, meaning it has few limitations that would restrict the use of the soil. It has high potential for producing food, forage, fiber, and ornamental crops. It has few use restrictions for wood land production, for community and recreational development, and for wildlife habitat. The Narragansett silt loam is considered to be one of the best soils in the state and truly represents Rhode Island’s developmental and agricultural base. Where the soil is free of surface stones and boulders and occurs on level to gently sloping land it is considered a prime farmland soil by the USDA. Narragansett soils are used as a source of sand and gravel for mining operations.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
Tags: Rhode Island State Soil Narragansett state soil Narragansett soil Narragansett Narragansett soil series
© All Rights Reserved
The Lynchburg Soil Series was selected as South Carolina’s state soil in 1991 by the South Carolina Professional Soil Classifiers. The soil profile used in the Smithsonian exhibit “Dig It! The Secret of Soil” was taken in Colleton County South Carolina near the town of Walterboro.
Lynchburg soils support forest of oak, blackgum, and slash pine. These forest are home to a huge variety of wildlife including the South Carolina state animal, the white-tailed deer, and the South Carolina state game bird, the wild turkey. When used for agricultural production farmers are able to grow corn, soybeans, cotton, tobacco, and wheat. Other uses for the Lynchburg soil are timber production, grazing and hay production for cattle,
and recreational uses such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, and atv/motocross trails.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
© All Rights Reserved
The Houdek Soil Series is a native soil of South Dakota and does not occur in any other state. The Houdek soil was chosen because of its large extent and its importance to agriculture. The Professional Soil Scientists Association of South Dakota and the South Dakota chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society worked together to commemorate the importance of soil to South Dakota. The Houdek series was established in 1955 in Spink County, South Dakota. The series was separated from the Barnes series which was established in 1914. In 1990, the late Governor George Mickelson signed a House Bill into law, making the Houdek loam South Dakota’s Official State Soil.
Houdek soils are used extensively for cropland, hayland, and rangeland. Small grains, corn, sunflowers, and soybeans are commonly grown crops. Alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures provide hay and pasture for grazing livestock. Large areas of Houdek soils are in native range. Crops and grasses grown on the Houdek soil provide habitat to wildlife. Soil erosion (wind and water) control, soil productivity, soil organic carbon levels, and soil moisture conservation are major concerns of land managers in this geographic area.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
Tags: South Dakota State Soil Houdek state soil Houdek Houdek soil
© All Rights Reserved