8 Urban Dynamic Soil Properties Discussion 12JAN2024

8.1 Attendees

Friday, January 12, 2024

NRCS is currently updating the DSP guide, expected to be published this year. The draft can be shared once it goes through public review in 4 months.
Goal of a DSP project is to get DSP data on as much area as possible, focusing on the most extensive or important soils.
Recommend 3 plots per condition (similar ecology/land management). Each plot has a main pedon and 2 satellites.
For intensive projects, use KSSL methods so data is comparable.
Intensive projects require KSSL analysis. Intermediate projects use in-house lab. This project would likely be intensive given the UMN lab capacity.

Looked at natural ground cover, artificial ground cover, and traditional lawns. Interested in climate resiliency, carbon storage, and gas fluxes.
Focused on urban climate and social health. Examined techniques like xeroscaping.
Partnered with Tree People organization to provide outreach on beneficial landscaping based on DSP data.

Access can be a challenge. Partnering with local organizations that can help arrange access to sites is recommended.
Can dig pits once to collect samples. Don’t need long-term access.
Recommend taking photos, cores, and bulk samples if possible since access is limited.

Most plots should be spread across the urban area, not concentrated on one site.
For urban agriculture focus, residential lawns could be reference state since that is common land use. Hoop houses and in-ground plots would be altered states.
If including non-urban reference site, look at uncultivated native sites outside urban area.
Design depends on goals - compare urban soils only or also compare to non-urban.
NRCS flexible on study design within urban focus. Recommend consulting urban conservationists like Matt Lundberg.

Required intensive tier uses KSSL methods. Can send samples to KSSL but may take 1-2 years to get data back.
Optional intensive tier analyses like POXC could be done in UMN lab.
Interest in testing additional indicators relevant to urban soils like contaminants.
If additional lab costs needed can discuss modifications to support more analyses.