Partnering with University of Northern BC:
soil Health in the Bulkley Valley
The Smithers Farmers' Institute is the community partner for work being done by Serena Black and Scott Green at the University of Northern BC. Long-term goals of the project include developing community partnerships and providing the opportunity for cooperative learning. Over the last year, Serena Black has been to 12 different farms in the Bulkley Valley - she has collected physical, chemical and biological data for 35 fields.
Ms. Black used a soil test kit that was developed by the US Department of Agriculture. The researches had to build the kit from scratch using the USDA guidebook available online: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_050956.pdf. The kit cost approximately $900 to develop. Ms. Black has tried to determine which of the tests have a more practical application, and will be writing a supplement to the USDA manual that details the procedures she thinks are the most effective.
Preliminary results and physical soil samples showing various soil profiles found around the valley were the focus of a field day hosted by the SFI and UNBC on October 15, 2015 at Round Lake Hall. Data collected from this project will be used to create a baseline that can then be augmented with information from future research and inventory initiatives.
Ms. Black used a soil test kit that was developed by the US Department of Agriculture. The researches had to build the kit from scratch using the USDA guidebook available online: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_050956.pdf. The kit cost approximately $900 to develop. Ms. Black has tried to determine which of the tests have a more practical application, and will be writing a supplement to the USDA manual that details the procedures she thinks are the most effective.
Preliminary results and physical soil samples showing various soil profiles found around the valley were the focus of a field day hosted by the SFI and UNBC on October 15, 2015 at Round Lake Hall. Data collected from this project will be used to create a baseline that can then be augmented with information from future research and inventory initiatives.
