Thursday, March 28 (8:30 am – 5:00 pm)

How to Assess, Amend, Manage, and Restore Soils on Restoration Sites

($60 fee, limited space)

Restoration project designs are all too often prepared and approved without fair consideration of soils.  Restorationists know that when soils are substandard, then the success of the project is uncertain.  Inappropriate soils can lead to increased invasive plants, poor growth and development of plants or root systems, increased plant mortality, decreased seed germination, decreased spread of ground cover, and erosion.  In short, inappropriate soils can undermine the restoration project goals.

This workshop will provide ecological restoration professionals:

  • Tools to gather information and make decisions about soils for restoration projects.
  • Skills and Knowledge to prepare soils specifications and to make informed choices about engineered soils.

The program will cover the following topics:

  • An Introduction to Soil Ecosystem Services
  • Creating the Soil Ecosystem Services Using Amended Soils
  • Using Soil Amendments to Restore Soil on Disturbed Land – Wetlands, Highway/Utility Easement Corridors, Dredge Spoils, and Mined Land
  • Real-World Applications and Conflicts – Creating Soil Specifications and Addressing Conflicts with Soil Screening Levels
  • Putting It All to Use – Reviewing Participant Case Studies

This workshop includes audience participation. Participants are encouraged to read the USDA Urban Soils Primer/Chapter 2 (http://soils.usda.gov/use/urban/primer.html) before attending the workshop.  Also, the last hour of the class will include the participants’ case studies. Participants are invited to submit an abstract and conceptual plan for an on-going restoration and the Workshop Team will discuss and problem-solve the soils issues of the selected “real world project.”

If you would like your project to be considered as a case study, please submit a brief abstract to SER-MA by March 4th (send to Patti Burns: pburns.wetinc@gmail.com). Abstracts should provide restoration goals, existing knowledge of soils on the site, general habitat type, a restoration site plan (conceptual designs are acceptable), a vegetation list, site hydrology (as applicable), preliminary plans for soil restoration, name and contact information. Project confidentiality will be respected.

Workshop presenters: Featuring W. Lee Daniels, PhD-Virginia Tech; Greg Evanylo, PhD-Virginia Tech; and Michele Mahoney-USEPA; with additional presentations by Bill Young, PWS, RLA-Young Environmental, LLC; and Patti Burns, MS-WET, Inc.

Note: Space is limited to 50 participants, on a first-come first-served basis. The $60 fee includes light breakfast and lunch.