Standards What are They?

Why are They Important?

Cameron Loerch

National Leader – Soil Survey Standards

Curtis Talbot

Rangeland Mgt Specialist

NRCS-National Soil Survey Center

Objectives

– General concepts of what and why – Specific examples of “NCSS Standards” – Relate to Ecological Site Descriptions

What is a Standard?

• “A set of rules for ensuring quality”

• “A technical standard is an established norm or requirement.”

• “It is usually a formal document that establishes uniform technical criteria, methods, processes and practices”

What is a Standard? • Standards are documents developed and adopted

by a consensus process that contain criteria, measures, best practices and/or processes that if followed, produce an intended result.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

What is a Standard?

• “NCSS standards are common or shared procedures that enhance technology transfer, data sharing and communications among soil survey participants.”

National Soil Survey Handbook, 600.02

Why have Standards?

• or, what if we didn’t?

• It might not work as expected; inferior quality and incompatible with other surveys, uses or data; could be used incorrectly; wrong interpretations.

Why have Standards?

• As a result, standardized products are widely accepted, commonly trusted and highly valued.

Why have Standards?

• Standardization brings a solid foundation upon which to develop new technologies and an opportunity to share and enhance existing products.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

Use of NCSS Standards • Data collection • Classifying • Describing • Sampling • Documentation • Display, delivery

• Scale and size of delineations • Analyzing properties (lab) • Data storage (NASIS) • Naming, correlating • Interpretations, criteria • Editing, publication

Geographic Applicability

• International • National • Technical Notes – Regional clarity, guidance

and processes. (MO Offices) • Quality Assurance (MO Offices) • Quality control (MLRA SSO’s) and State Offices

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

Soil Taxonomy

• Common base to organize knowledge about soils. • Communication Tool among soil scientists. • Transfer technology.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

Soil Survey Manual

• Basic principles for making and using soil surveys.

• Conventions for Describing Soils.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

National Soil Survey Handbook

• Current operational procedures in more detail than SSM.

• Policies for planning and managing projects. • Policy/procedure for collecting & managing data. • Policy/procedure for disseminating information.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

Laboratory Methods Manual

• Procedures for measuring chemical, physical, & mineralogical properties of soils.

Soil Survey

Helping People Understand Soils

Field Book for Describing & Sampling Soils

• Intended as a convenient field reference containing relevant items from SSM, NSSH, and other sources.

Helping People Understand Soils

Past Ecological Site Standards

• National Range and Pasture Handbook • National Forestry Handbook • National Forestry Manual

Helping People Understand Soils

Examples of Existing “Approved” Community

Phase Names Deep Sand Savannah, HPC #1 Midgrasses, 20% Shrub and 25% Oak Canopy, #2 Tallgrass-Midgrass #3 Closed oak Canopy #4 Cultivation, #5 Eroded #6 Invasion, #7

Helping People Understand Soils

Examples of Existing “Approved” Community

Phase Names #1. HPC, Tallgrass/Midgrass #2. HPC, Midgrasses/Shortgrasses #3. Hardwoods (25%-30%) Tallgrass/Midgrass #4. >50% Tree Canopy cover, Shrub Understory #5. Shortgrass/Midgrass, with 25% to 30% Woody Species #6. Cultivation

Helping People Understand Soils

Examples of Existing “Approved” Community

Phase Names 1. Meadow HPC 2. Dry Up, Annuals/Tallgrass/Midgrass 3. Tallgrass/Midgrass

Helping People Understand Soils

Examples of Existing “Approved” Community

Phase Names 1) Deep Sand Savannah, HPC 2) Midgrass/Tallgrass with Moderate Oak Canopy 3) Tallgrass-Midgrass Prairie 4) Closed Canopy 5) Cultivated 6) Eroded 7) Invasion

Helping People Understand Soils

Examples of Existing “Approved” Community

Phase Names Loamy Prairie #1, HPC Loamy Prairie #2, Tallgrass/Midgrass Loamy Prairie #3, Midgrass Loamy Prairie #4, Midgrass/Shrub Loamy Prairie #5, Tallgrass/Midgrass/Shrub/Tree

Helping People Understand Soils

New Ecological Site Standards

• Interagency Ecological Site Handbook for Rangelands

• Ecological Sites Handbook

Developing Standards - Process

• Proposed, • Reviewed, • Tested, • Codified (make part of organized system), • Applied, • Revised.

• Transparent

Summary

• Standards - Provide scientific basis for survey/inventory. • Common standards enable a uniform program.

• Big Job Ahead…….