Soil Science in the News...

Soil Mapping in the News...

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

National Geographic Article Features Two Soil Scientists

It's been a few months since the issue came out, but it's worth repeating that the National Geographic September Issue features two soil scientists in a very positive and impactful light.

The cover article entitled, "Our Good Earth - The future rests on the soil beneath our feet", by Charles C. Mann, raises a number of important environmental challenges directly related to saving our soil, and how soil scientists are helping.


Rattan Lal, the prominent soil scientist from Ohio State University, is featured in the beginning of the article spreading cautious optimism on how its possible to restore degraded soils, yet he tempers the optimism with the dire circumstances we are under if we don't care for our most precious resource, soil.


Wim Sombroek, the pre-eminent former soil scientist, director of ISRIC (International Soil Reference and Information Centre, and secretary general of the International Society of Soil Science (now International Union of Soil Sciences), who passed away in 2003, is quoted on his days growing up in the Netherlands on small plots of plaggen soils. Mann also mentions Sombroek's fascination with terra preta (a particular type of black soil found in Brazil human formed with the unique addition of charcoal) and how he was one of the first to study this type of soil in the Amazon.


Enjoy the article in its entirety by clicking HERE.


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