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South Dakota soil selected for SmithsonianSouth Dakota The State Soil of South Dakota, Houdek (pronounced hoo-deck), is featured in a new exhibition called "Dig it! The Secrets of Soil" at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The new 5,000-square-foot exhibition reveals the complex world of soil and how it supports nearly every form of life on earth. "There are more living creatures in a shovel full of rich soil than human beings on the planet," explains Janet Oertly, State Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Huron. "Yet, more is known about the dark side of the moon than about soil." These are just a few of the fascinating facts in the exhibit at the National Mall which is visited by more than 6 million people a year--all of whom will now have the opportunity to learn more about the vital importance of soil in our daily lives. The Soil Science Society of America--an NRCS partner of long standing--is the national exhibition's founding sponsor. "In South Dakota, NRCS and our partners at South Dakota State University, the Professional Soil Scientists Association of South Dakota and the Soil and Water Conservation Society South Dakota Chapter have been preparing for more than a decade for the national exhibition," says Oertly. South Dakota's State Soil, Houdek, joined 54 soil displays, called monoliths, representing each state, territory and the District of Columbia. The Houdek soil was designated as the South Dakota State Soil by the 1990 State Legislature. It is a native soil of South Dakota and does not occur in any other state. Houdek was chosen as South Dakota's State Soil because of its large extent and its importance to agriculture. Representative of the more than 650 soils mapped in South Dakota, there are more than 2 million acres of Houdek and closely related soils making Houdek one of the most extensive soils in the state. "As a deep, well drained, loamy soil," Oertly says, "Houdek soil is of major economic importance to South Dakota because it is often used as cropland or rangeland." Small grain, corn, sunflowers, and soybeans are commonly grown crops. Alfalfa and grass-alfalfa mixtures provide hay and pasture for grazing livestock. Large areas of the Houdek soil are in native range. Crops and grasses grown on the Houdek soil also provide habitat for wildlife. Display of South Dakota's Houdek monolith was made possible through individual donors and organizations across the state including the PSSASD, the SWCS, the SD Association of Conservation Districts and more than 16 local conservation districts. Along with state soils, the "Dig It!" exhibit also features an array of display panels and interactive models and websites depicting how soils are created, used and managed worldwide, the work of soil scientists in the field, and how soils store carbon to reduce greenhouse gases. Many of us overlook the value of soil simply because we walk on it every day. In South Dakota, scientists estimate that it takes Mother Nature 500 years to form 1 inch of topsoil. Topsoil in our state ranges from 10 to 12 inches thick in the east to 5 to 7 inches thick in the western part of the state. The range is due to climatic differences. "Just one wind or rain event can tragically erode tons of topsoil," Oertly says. "Conservation practices help to conserve or improve the health of the soil for agricultural production and environmental benefits." NRCS professionals are available to help landowners better understand their soil resource. "Soil is really the foundation of our economy, when you get right down to it," Oertly says. "It says a lot when agriculture contributes $19 billion annually to South Dakota's economy--all due to having healthy, productive soils and the people who care for them." More information on Houdek and the "Dig It" exhibition can be found on the NRCS website at http://www.sd.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/Soils.html. To view national soils information, including images, visit: http://soils.usda.gov. 9/1/08 Date: 8/27/08 Advertisement
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