Training
Intro to Land Judging
Land Judging is a contest in which students assess land conditions to recommend wise agronomic and suburban landuse decisions. Click here for some introductory videos.
Contest Materials
Polices: Preface | Eligibility | Awards | Scorecards | Other
Download Land Judging Manual (revisions planned for Fall 2017)
Scorecard Information
NRCS Soil Survey Reports
County soil survey reports are a great way to familiarize yourself with the soils of any county. All paper copies are out of print. Go here for more information on how to obtain a copy.
Training
Training for Land Judging would be helpful in two ways: 1) help with the manual 2) help with interpreting soil pits.
If you need help with part or all of the manual, your best bet is to email Dr. Ellis with a specific question or if you need extended help he can help you over the phone. The in-person trainings IFAS held in the past are not currently scheduled.
Interpreting soil pits can be challenging. You can email Dr. Ellis a photo and ask for help that way. You can send him something and talk about it over the phone. In the past there were NRCS area soil scientists who were available to do on-demand training in the field. You can try contacting the NRCS to see if this training is still available. The Florida Association of Environmental Soil Scientists (FAESS) is comprised of mainly private consulting soil scientists. There may be one in your area who would be willing to offer his or her time. Several members of NRCS and Ellis are also members of FAESS.
Past UF IFAS Training Classes
2010.01.27 - UF/Citra
2010.01.09 - Austin Cary Memorial Forest