The Northwest Forest Soils Council, a council of the Western Forestry
and Conservation Association, is organized to facilitate exchange of
forest soils information and ideas among interested professionals in
the Northwest, and encourage a more widespread understanding that soil
is the basis for production of forest wealth -- timber, forage, water,
wildlife, and recreation values. The Council is interested in
fostering among technically trained people and laymen alike, the
following concepts:
1. Soil is an
integral part of the forest--no crop can be considered without
considering the soil that produces it. Forest practices can
enhance or impair the productivity of the soil.
2. Surveys of the forest soil resource are important
to provide a useful basis for better understanding of land and for
extending knowledge gained from research.
3. Increased forest soils research is vitally
necessary, if we are to maintain production of substantial values
realized in the past from forest and range lands. Acceleration of
research should be accomplished by increasing studies of the soil
itself and by including soils investigations in other pertinent
research.
4. Soil Science and its application should be
strongly emphasized in all forestry school curricula. Students of
forestry and allied subjects should be impressed early in their
training that a major concern should be for the productivity of the
soil.
5. Education of the public in the concepts expressed
herein is necessary to achieve sound management and sustained
productivity of forest lands.
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The NWFSC charter is available - view
online - MSWord
document
Report and presentation from 2011 Summer Field Tour are available HERE. Remember
to turn on the presenter notes to read the narrative that goes with the
slides. This presentation is to demonstrate how an understanding of the
soil resource can help various disciplines and land managers make more
informed natural resource management decisions.
Archives of past material is maintained HERE.
Links may not be current.
This site is maintained by Rob Harrison. Please send emails to
robh@uw.edu for corrections, additions,
etc.