2006 - 2007 Events & Workshops listings

Spring 2008 courses at UNH
Download the spring brochure describing seminars in Surveying, Soil Science, Local and State Planning, and Engineering Management. New Hampshire CEUs available.

SSSNNE Annual Meeting February 22, 2008 at USM: AGENDA and REGISTRATION.

Workshop February 7, 2008; Maine Association of Wetland Scientists/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A Jurisdictional Wetland Determination Workshop: Featuring a discussion by Ruth Ladd on Rapanos/Carabell Decision Guidance; at the Elks Lodge; 397 Civic Center Drive; Augusta, ME (click for agenda and more info)

CEU REQUESTS
If you need a certificate for the August 2nd, 2007 "Natural Resources Identification and Regulation" field conference held at Reid State Park, please send an e-mail to: Chris Dorion (or, 866-7806) with your name as you need it to appear on the certificate of attendance.

REQUEST FOR PROFILE DESCRIPTIONS
Documentation substantiating the validity of New England Hydric Soil Indicator XI is urgently needed by Dave Rocque(or, 287-2666). This request is being made in light of ACOE's proposal to develop a Northeast Region supplement for the 1987 Wetland Manual that will use Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States instead of our own Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England ( we have been told we have no choice in the matter). I have a number of issues with this approach but the one I am sending this e-mail about is the lack of anything in the National Indicators that resembles New England Indicators XI.a and XI.b. In order to plug the gap, we have been told by the ACOE that we have to submit our own indicator, written in the format of the National Indicators, that is accompanied by documentation that the indicator is valid. Ideally, that would be a profile description, vegetation plot data and groundwater monitoring data. Lacking that, profile descriptions and vegetation plot data would be good and any accompanying groundwater table observations (during the growing season) would be better. If we have weak data, they may accept the new indicators for testing only. If the data is good, it may be accepted as new indicators for use in our region. My biggest concern is that we may end up with a regional manual that results in a significantly different wetland boundary than would be delineated now (unless our present criteria is too conservative and can be documented as such). Even worse, would be the need to use two separate documents that result in differing wetland boundaries (an ACOE boundary and a state and/or local boundary).
The data is needed as soon as possible since the draft Northeast Region supplement will be developed very soon. I have been told that the material must be submitted to the National Committee for Hydric Soils by the end of January in order to make the Committee's annual meeting. Our own New England Hydric Soils Technical Committee next meets on January 9 and I would like to take the data with me to that meeting. Immediately below is my attempt at writing indicators XI.a and XI.b in the national format.

DRAFT

PROPOSED HYDRIC SOIL INDICATORS FOR NEW ENGLAND IN NORTHEAST REGIONAL SUPPLEMENT OF ACOE WETLAND DELINEATION MANUAL
December 6, 2007
New Indicator A 17: Depletions Below Dark Surface

A layer with a depleted or gleyed matrix, starting within 50 cm (20 inches) of the soil surface. The layer(s) immediately above the depleted or gleyed matrix, to a depth of less than 30 cm (12 inches), must have 5% or more redox depletions and must be immediately beneath a layer with a value of 3 or less, chroma 2 or less or an organic matter layer. User Notes: This indicator applies to soils that have a black surface layer less than 30 cm (12 inches) thick with a value of 3 or less and chroma of 2 or less. Any layers between the dark surface layer and depleted or gleyed matrix layer must have at least 5% redox depletions.

New Indicator A 18: Depletions below Thick Dark Surface

A layer with a depleted or gleyed matrix, starting within 50 cm (20 inches) of the soil surface. The layer(s) immediately above the depleted or gleyed matrix, to a depth of greater than 30 cm (12 inches), must have 5% or more redox depletions and must be immediately beneath a layer with a value less than 3 and chroma of 2 or less. User Notes: This indicator applies to soils with a black surface layer 30 cm (12 inches) thick or thicker with value less than 3 and chroma of 2 or less. Any layers between the dark surface layer and depleted or gleyed matrix layer must have at least 5% redox depletions.

2008, 20-23 February, National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists Annual Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC. Visit: NSCSS website.

DOWNLOAD THE WINTER EDITION OF THE LAY OF THE LAND

MAPSS ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULED
The 30th annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 6th, from 8am to 4pm at the Augusta Elks Lodge. Download the Meeting Agenda.
Download the March 7th, 2006 Annual Meeting Minutes. These must be voted on during the business meeting.
Download the proposed amendment to the MAPSS Constitution. This must be voted on during the business meeting.
Download the Meeting Registration. Registration is due by 12:noon on Friday, February 16th, 2007.

SMITHSONIAN FUND - CHESUNCOOK MONOLITH
As of March 6th, 2007, MAPSS has raised $10,194.74. Our goal was $10,000.00 Thanks to the tireless efforts of Don Phillips for seeing this project through to completion. Our State soil, the CHESUNCOOK series, will now be dislayed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C. Check the link to the left for a list of CONTRIBUTORS. Please contact Don Phillips for fundraising informaton.
What will this exhibit look like? Link here for architectural drawings of the proposed exhibit and the Missouri State monolith.

WETLANDS WORKSHOP FOR FORESTERS, LOGGERS, LANDOWNERS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
Tuesday, August 21st at 9:00AM join Gordon Moore of the Maine Forest Service and Ron Olson Soil Scientist of the USDA at the USDA Office in Dover - Foxcroft for a Wetlands Delineation and Identification Workshop. Information will be presented about wetlands indicators, function, value and management. A field session at a nearby wetland will include information on soil indicators, vegetation indicators, hydrology indicators, and management. Participants are requested to wear rubber boots and bring bug repellent. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
This workshop is being co-hosted by the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine and the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District. CEU's are available for Foresters, Certified Logging Professionals and also Code Enforcement Officers for participation in this workshop. There is a $5.00 registration fee to cover workshop costs. Pre-registration is required by Wednesday, August 15th by calling 564 - 2321, extension 3, e-mailing: info@piscataquisswcd.org, or stopping by the district office at 42 Pine Crest Drive, Dover - Foxcroft, ME 04426.

August 16th, 2006: Hydric Sandy Soils Workshop II
For last year's analysis, references, and photos from this important Suborder, the Aquods, with Great Groups Duraqouds and Endoaquods, click on the Bhsm horizon in the photo.
Reknowned botanists Georgia Hall, Lauren Stockwell and Matt Arsenault were on hand to assist in keying out difficult taxa.
NOTE: The NH Board of Natural Scientists has awarded this workshop 1 CEU for both Certified Soil and Wetland Scientists.
WRITE-UP AND PHOTOS TO APPEAR SHORTLY.

Spring, 2007
Several JOBS are open for applicants....Check out the JOBS link in the left navigaton column.

Summer 2007 Internships for Undergraduate Soils Students
Soils students will again be seeking 120 hours for internship requirements; time schedule is flexible, can be more (such as an entire summer), or 1 day per week, or other format. They would need to be paid employees. For more information, contact Dr. Samanth Langley-Turnbaugh at the University of Southern Maine.

MAWS announces its Fall training schedule for 2006. Focus on vernal pools in October.
More information here.

September 22nd - 24th: Common Ground Fair
MAPSS members will be staffing a booth and teaching soil pedology/genesis in several back-hoe test pits on the Fair grounds. If you would like to volunteer to help, please contact: info@mapss.org

September 28th, 2006: Joint MASE/MAPSS workshop
This workshop is run in conjunction with the State of Maine field exam for new site evaluators. The format will differ past years and feature up to 12 backhoe-dug soil pits in a variety of parent materials, drainage classes, and bedrock classes. This is a non-regulatory workshop for MAPSS members and other interested wetland and soil scientists. The focus is on education and training in describing soil properties and morphologies. NRCS soil experts will be on-hand to assist in describing the soil pits.

See the link at the left Past Events & Workshops for an indication of the format for this important soil workshop.

REGISTRTION INFORMATION: Soil pits open at 8am on the Pelletier Property, in Orrington. Cost is $10 for MAPSS members, includes cookout lunch.
8am to 12:noon Soil test pits open for review
10am to 12:noon NRCS discussion of MAPSS soil test pits
12:noon to 1pm Lunch
1pm to end PowerPoint presentation of soil test pits
DIRECTIONS: From I-95 in Bangor, take exit 182 for I-395 East to Brewer. Immediately after crossing over the Penobscot River, exit to Route 15 south toward Bucksport. Drive south on Rt. 15 ~6.5 miles to a wide area in Rt. 15. Parking for the Field Day is on the left (east) side of highway, through fence opening.
Please E-mail MASE organizers or Gary Fullerton at 856-0277 if you want lunch!!!

New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, September 29th - October 1st, 2006
This organization hosts 3 days of field trips, including Quaternary (soils, geomorphology, glacial geology, hydrogeology, ....). Visit the NEIGC Website.

Collegiate SOIL JUDGING COMPETITION, October 4th-7th, 2006
This 4 day event features students from top soils universities competing in the field to describe soil morphology, taxonomy, and geomorphology. The year's event will be hosted by The University of Maine - Orono.