2030 International Soil Judging Contest

Regional Soilscapes: Landscapes in the Guelph region are dominated by a range of Wisconsinan glacial parent materials, overlying Paleozoic dolomitic bedrock. The many terrain features in the area are associated with glacial oscillations, meltwater processes, and subsequent reworking of tills, and loess, resulting in an undulating (sometimes drumlinized) landforms, with a range of hydrological features. A special emphasis of the soil judging contest would be on the interpretation of the potential effects of climate change, on soil forming factors and processes in the soils being described, as well as their implications for management. Among the soils to be highlighted is the Guelph Soil Series - the first described in Canada; this bisequal soil was designated as the Official Soil of the Province of Ontario, in honor of the 2015 International Year of Soils. 

Technical & Logistical Support: Organization of the 2030 International Soil Judging Contest will involve representatives of the University of Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, in coordination with the Local Organizing Committee, and relevant international representatives of the IUSS. Indoor facilities for event coordination and instruction will be articulated through the School of Environmental Sciences. Field activities will be conducted at the Elora Research Station, cooperating farms, and other sites in the surrounding region. Where feasible, we will employ virtual resources, to enhance the realization of the soil judging context.