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.
