PAST Events & Workshops - RESULTS: Write-ups, Comments, and Photo Albums HERE
reverse chronological order

Heart of Maine Resource Conservation & Development announces their winter agricultural soil conference in Bangor on February 9 & 10, 2010. Use the link to access the registration materials.

SSSNNE Winter Meeting & Workshop on anthropogenic and disturbed hydric soils, scheduled for Friday, February 26, 2010 in Concord. Download the registration and agenda form.

2009 WETLAND DELINEATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND SITE EVALUATOR SOIL PIT CLASSIFICATION WORKSHOP was held on September 9th, 2009
On Wednesday, September 9th, MAPSS, MASE, MAWS, SSSNNE, and the MFS will host a day-long field conference at Reid State Park. Regulatory staff include Paul Minkin, Senior Wetland Scientist with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Marcia Spencer-Famous (LURC), Doug Coombs (State of Maine Site Evaluator), and Mike Mullen (MDEP). Topics to be covered include:

• Determination and delineation of wetlands using both the existing 1987 ACOE Manual and the Draft Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region.
• 4 transects that begin in uplands and extend into wetlands
• Parent materials to include: glacial till, marine sediments (Presumpscot Formation), coastal sand dunes, and alluvium.
• Each transect will have a soil and plant expert
• Each transect will have specific soil pits for Site Evaluators emphasizing the new 9 inch depth to a limiting factor
• An afternoon panel discussion and PowerPoint presentation with regulatory staff on the 4 transects and the Site Evaluator soil pits

Download the field conference description and registration form.

Download the DRAFT Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region (5.7 megabytes).

• You must register by 9am and participate throughout the day, including the afternoon panel discussion, in order to receive CEU Certificates of attendance that will be available at the conclusion of the workshop.
• The New Hampshsire Board of Licensure for Natural Scientists has granted 2.0 CEUs for Soil Scientists and for Wetland Scientists

Photo on left shows a challenging forested wetland? or upland dominated by Picea rubens and Abies balsamea. Photo on right shows a challenging wetland delineation along a Great Pond. A soil scientist and botanist will be available at each transect.

Photo on left shows glacial till with water in the soil pit. How does the Hydrology parameter match the soil morphology? Photo on right - are those redoximorphic features in the Bs horizon?

Photo on left shows a soil pit in marine sediment (Presumpscot Formation). Is this a Scantic (poorly drained) or Lamoine (somewhat poorly drained) soil? Try keying out the drainage class using both the New England Indicators and the new National Indicators. Photo on right shows the afternoon discussion session with State and Federal regulators in the pavillion. This is also the lunch area. BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH AND DRINKS.

This workshop should have broad appeal to soil scientists, wetland scientists, site evaluators, code enforcement officers, planners, municipal officials, regulators, lake association members, foresters and the general public. You can participate at whatever level is appropriate for your background and knowledge of wetland delineation and septic system soil pit evaluation (the experts at each transect site will provide the level of assistance you require).

LOGISTICAL NOTES
Be sure to tell the ranger at the gate that you are registering for the MAPSS workshop. Otherwise, you will be charged $4.50 per person to enter the park.

Parking is limited, so PLEASE CAR-POOL to the extent practicable.

MAPSS ANNUAL MEETING WAS HELD ON Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 at the Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center in Hallowell, Maine.

• Morning business meeting with presentations by University of Maine faculty, UMaine Soil Judging Team, and NRCS; begin discussion of SITE LAW REVISIONS AND MAPSS GUIDELINES REVISIONS, break for buffet lunch, followed by afternoon presentations and panel discussions on:
• Continuation of SITE LAW and MAPSS GUIDELINES REVISIONS, including the new Linear Soil Survey (Class L) and accompanying connotative soil map: panel discussion with Dave Rocque (State Soil Scientist), Al Frick (Al Frick Associates), Marsha Spencer-Famous (LURC), and Jim Cassida (MDEP)
• The National Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils: Paul Minkin, US ACOE, will discuss the field testing of the Interim Northeast Regional Supplement to the 1987 ACOE Wetland Manual with the help of local experts familiar with the New England Field Indicators ( some MAPSS members helped with the field testing in Maine and can answer questions on a comparison of the two soils keys). He traveled throughout New England field testing the Supplement and will use a PowerPoint presentation of the results. His talk will cover soils, vegetation, and hydrology, with a focus on vegetation and hydrology.
• Steve Roberge, Third Party Inspector, will discuss the unique hydrology of high mountain areas and erosion control techniques necessary to construct projects there (from an engineer's prospective). He will use a PowerPoint presentation of his experience as a third party inspector.
• Discussion and implications for making hydric determinations for soils with OXYAQUIC conditions (cool climate soils of coastal areas, high elevation areas, and northern Maine)

Please download the AGENDA and REGISTRATION FORM and return by Friday, February 27th.
Please prepare for the Annual Meeting by carefully reading the following documents (in PDF format):

• Download the document Proposed Revisions to the Site Location of Development Law
• Download the document MEMO with comments to Jim Cassida regarding the Site Law Application.
• Download the 2008 Annual Meeting Minutes by using the link at left. The membership will need to approve these during the morning business meeting.
• The New Hampshire Board of Licensure for Natural Scientists has awarded 1.0 CEUs for both WETLAND SCIENTISTS and SOIL SCIENTISTS for those atteding the day-long meeting.
• The Subsurface Wastewater Program, Division of Environmental Health will allow three 3.0 professional development hours for the March 10th, 2009, Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists, Annual Meeting.

MAWS VERNAL POOL WORKSKHOP scheduled for February 6th, 2009. Download the registration information by clicking on the Ambystoma maculatum

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING scheduled for 1pm on Friday, November 21st, 2008, in Belfast. Meeting is open to MAPSS members; contact info@mapss.org for more information. Agenda to focus on planning for the 2009 MAPSS Annual Meeting, increased support for the UMaine Soil Judging Team, maintaining the relevance of soil mapping as land use ordinances change, and updating the MAPSS Guidelines for the new expedited soil surveys.

UMAINE SOIL JUDGING TEAM placed 5th out of 11 universities. Photos and summary page. Read the full report by Mary Beth Parent.

MASE / MAPSS Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, September 25th, 2008
The Invitation is attached which includes a schedule for the day, a map of the location, and directions to the site from Interstate 95.
The New Hampshire Board has awarded 2.0 CEUs for NH licensed soil and wetland scientists.
The workshop is free for all members of MASE or MAPSS.  Cost is $10 for all others.
Please reply to this email: gfullerton@sebagotechnics.com
or call me at 856-0277 if you plan on attending so I can purchase a meal for you.  If I don’t hear from you, I can’t guarantee there will be food for you.
Hope to see you there!
Gary M. Fullerton, CSS, LSE
NOTE - for past year's photos and reports, go to "Past Events & Workshops...." in the left navigation pane.

Summer edition of THE LAY OF THE LAND was mailed to active members on July 24th. The PDF version will be posted in mid-August.

The MAPSS membership voted in the majority at their annual meeting on March 11th, 2008, to endorse the efforts of the THE MAINE ASSOCIATION OF WETLAND SCIENTISTS to seek licensing of wetland scientists in Maine. Download the letter here.

Annual Meeting Summary: Thanks to all who helped organize the meeting in 2008, and especially the speakers

1. AGENDA

2. The REGISTRATION FORM is now available.

3. Please review the minutes from last year's annual meeting (go to navigation column at left, click on meeting minutes, scroll down - it's a PDF file).

4. Please review the Exec. Comm. meeting minutes (on left navigation pane) from June 1, 2007 regarding Licensing of Wetland Scientists in Maine. The MAPSS membership will be voting whether to endorse/not endorse MAWS's efforts.
   

   Please read the background letter from the MAWS Certification Committee to MAPSS, presented at the June 1st MAPSS Exec. Comm. meeting.

   Please go to Final Exploratory Paper on the Issue of Credentialing Wetland Scientists in Maine (03/02/2007) for more background information on this issue.

5. 1.0 CEU will be awarded for New Hampshire Certified Soil Scientists. For past CEU credits in Hew Hampshire, go to theNH Board of Natural Scientists.

PART II: NATURAL RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND REGULATION WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR 2008
On Wednesday, September 3rd, MAPSS, MASE, and MAWS will host a day-long field (from the intertidal zone to the landward limit of protection) conference at Reid State Park. Regulatory staff include Marcia Spencer-Famous (LURC), Jay Clement (US ACOE), Lana Clough, State Code Enforcement Officer Training Coordinator, Rich Baker (MDEP), Linda Kokemuller (MDEP), Steve Dickson (MGS), and Mike Mullen (MDEP). Topics to be covered include:

• Determination of Highest Anual Tide (H.A.T.) level using surveying methods
• NRPA versus Shoreland Zoning definition of a stream
• Wetlands of Special Significance in the S.Z.
• Vernal pools
• Hydraulic connectivity in the S.Z.
• Significant Wildlife Habitat
• Where to start your measurements for shoreland zoning setbacks
• Where is the Normal High Water Mark (Great Ponds, streams)
• Wetlands adjacent to great ponds (so they are considered part of the pond)
• Sand dunes
• "Special Freshwater Wetlands" (plumbing Code designation)
• Shoreland zoning setbacks from streams

Download the field conference description and registration form.

• The New Hampshire Board of Certification for Natural Scientists has granted 2.0 CEUs for this workshop, for both WETLAND SCIENTISTS and SOIL SCIENTISTS. You must register by 9am and participate throughout the day, including the afternoon panel discussion. Certificates of attendance will be available at the conclusion of the workshop.

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

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.

UNH SOIL AND WETLAND COURSES offered for late fall 2007 and 2008. Download the PDF information here.

COMMON GROUND FAIR booth, backhoe soil pits, and related information:
MAPSS is again fielding an informational booth for 2008 adjacent to the Maine Soil Testing Lab booth. Several backhoe-dug soil pits at the fairgrounds will be open for those interested. A PowerPoint presentation on Maine soils will be given also.
For information on helping with this event (a bonus being free admission), please contact: Dave Turcotte for more information.

Summer edition of The Lay of the Land will be mailed to MAPSS members in July, 2008. The on-line version will be posted 2 weeks later.

August 2nd, 2007 The joint MAPSS-MASE Natural Resource Identification and Regulation Workshop was held under clear blue skies at Reid State Park. Approximately 149 natural resource specialists attended this day-long workshop. Professionals from the fields of soil science, wetland delineation and permitting, site evaluation, code enforcement, planning, and regulatory agencies participated from 9am until 3:30 pm. A series of photos with brief captions follows. Thanks to Dave Moyse, Dave Rocque, and Chris Dorion for the photos.

The workshop outline and workshop overview can be downloaded in PDF format.

Summary write-up and photographs

April 25th, 2007 MAPSS presented the University of Maine's Soil Judging Team with embroidered field vests, caps, and bucket "Jockeys". This field equipment is to be used for their soil judging field work and Northeast competitions.
We have had five MAPSS members contribute $681 to the education fund (which is not a separate account), including Alan Burnell's contribution of $256 to specifically cover the costs of the logos. The $471.24 was something that we voted on as the association to fund, so that much is directly attributable to MAPSS. From the individual donations then we have $681 - $256 ($425) to go towards educational purposes plus whatever the group votes on funding this year. We have not paid any money for anything other than the vests and logos at this time.

October 7th, 2006 The 2006 Northeast Regional Soil Judging Competition was held on a brilliant fall day under clear blue skies. The University of Maine - Orono and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) organized this 3 day event.

MAPSS President Chris Dorion compiled the write-up and photographs.

Summary write-up and photographs

September 1, 2005 The Maine Association of Site Evaluators/Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists Training Session was be held on Thursday, September 1st on Winthrop Street in Hallowell, just north of the Town Farm Road. The site evaluator pits were open for review from 9 AM onward and the MAPSS training pits were open for review from 1 PM throughout the afternoon.

MAPSS member Chris Dorion compiled the write-up and photographs.

Summary write-up and photographs

September 21st - 22nd, 2005 MAPSS 2005 Downeast Hydric Soils Workshop

The Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists held a three day workshop and tour in Downeast Maine. The focus of the tour was Section XIII, "Problem" Soil Areas, as described in the Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England. Go to the NEIWPCCwebsite for complete information.
MAPSS soil scientists, led by the State of Maine Soil Scientist Dave Rocque, brought the group to multiple sites displaying A) Folists and soils with folistic epipedons, B)Soils formed in red parent material (Perry Formation sandstone and conglomerate), and, C) Histosols.
The photos and trip Description are presented in an abbreviated format. Any MAPSS members who have additional photos or descriptions are encouraged to submit to Chris Dorion, MAPSS Webmaster

MAPSS member David Rocque compiled the report while Chris Dorion submitted annotated photos.

This MAPSS workshop was made possible by prior collaboration with the New England Hydric Soil Technical Committee and NRCS Soil Scientists Dave Wilkinson and Wayne Hoar.

September 16th, 2004 The Maine Association of Site Evaluators/Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists Training Session was be held on September 16th in Corinth, Maine, ~1 mile west of Route 15 and south of Route 43. The site evaluator pits were open for review from 9 AM onward and the MAPSS training pits were open for review from 1 PM throughout the afternoon. The site was located on and adjacent to an esker. NRCS soil mapping in this area revealed two associations of soils, based on two parent materials: marine sediments (Swanville-Boothbay-Lyman) and glacial till (Dixmont-Thorndike-Monarda). This area is undergoing re-mapping by the NRCS, and an emerging paradigm is taking shape to account for the PARALITHIC, lime-seamed, often SAPROLITIC bedrock.

A proposed new catena, the SEBASTICOOK CATENA, will more accurately describe this type of bedrock and the typically occurring soils found on this lithology.

NRCS soil specialist Dave Wilkinson and State soil scientist Dave Rocque described the soil pits prior to the workshop. Parts of the write-up are from their soil logs. MAPSS members Dave Turcotte and Chris Dorion took the photographs and wrote these summary descriptions.

Summary write-up and photographs