Apr 27, 2020
California to develop statewide soil health map
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced a stakeholder workshop on the development of a soil organic carbon map for the state.
CDFA is looking to engage interested parties to provide early feedback as the map develops. Staff from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will also participate in the workshop.
“We are excited to start the collaboration on creating a statewide soil organic carbon map,” CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a press release. “We want to hear from our stakeholders on how it might be useful and how they can provide resources for its development.”
The map will serve as an indicator of soil health as California takes multiple actions to sequester carbon in agricultural soils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The California Biodiversity Initiative: A Roadmap for Protecting the State’s Natural Heritage calls for the state to undertake a series of actions to secure the future of its biodiversity, including the development of the organic carbon map.
As part of this process, CDFA will develop a data repository system for soil data submitted to CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program and make the data available to monitor the progress of soil carbon sequestration. This map-based tool will monitor soil organic carbon changes and show on-the-ground results of projects implemented to build soil health.
The workshop will be held via webinar and will be presented on two separate dates to maximize participation. The agenda and description of the map can be found on our Healthy Soils Program webpage. Participants much register in advance for one of the following two dates:
May 5, 2020 10 a.m. PT
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2081096641823640844
May 6, 2020 1 p.m. PT
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3379254836366749452
There is also a written comment period on the development of the map. Questions and comments should be submitted to cdfa.oefi@cdfa.ca.gov by 5 p.m. PT, May 21, 2020. Questions and corresponding answers will be posted on our webpages shortly thereafter.
