Presented to NSCSS, Amelia Island, FL, March 5, 2010.

The current issue of NSCSS eNews Updates is available

Issue 50 of the National Cooperative Soil Survey Newsletter (February, 2010) is now available online.

... provides hands-on development, creation through implementation, of exam, certification and licensing efforts for the CPSS/C and CSSE programs with the goal of maintaining and increasing the number of individuals taking exams and becoming certified and/or licensed. The manager will also develop and implement educational programs ...

Soil scientist salaries start at about $40,000 in the private sector. However, there are tremendous regional variations.

EPA’s rule on controlling stormwater runoff on construction sites went into effect this month. The rule marks the first time the EPA has imposed national monitoring requirements and enforceable numeric limitations on stormwater discharge from jobsites.

The National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists (NSCSS) - SSSA Scholarship was established in 2009 to encourage undergraduate students to major in soil science degree programs.  Please make this information known to prospective 2nd year or above college students majoring in soil science to apply for this scholarship. The time period for initiating a scholarship award nomination ends March 23, 2010.

A Technical Soil Services, (NRCS-NEDC-000249), session is being held in Lincoln, NE, April 19-23, 2010.  The session has been set up in AgLearn and is available for all to register.

Mark McClain has prepared a great slideshow on member benefits, presented in Raleigh, NC on January 19, 2010. It hits on the classic points, some pithier ones, and pulls in some good history. We've taken this as a golden opportunity to start an NSCSS Slideshare account - look forward to posting other similar presentations.

USGS will likely hire 12 individuals to do this work. Most of them will be summer employees, but for those who graduated in December 09, they could start sooner. This summer position would be a great fit for those who have soil morphology and classification and/or have soil judging experience. Via Tom Hallmark, TX

Soil Survey in United Arab Emirates. Closes January 27, 2010  

The 11th edition of Keys to Soil Taxonomy, as well as a summary of all changes for this new version of the Keys is available at: http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/tax_keys/