Conservation District Soil Index Inforamation
Did you know that every county in the US has had a soil inventory and that this information is free for the asking?
Michigan has 159 types of soil with some even being divided further into percent grade or slope?
This index is in matrix format and the 11 columns are as follows:
soil name and map symbol
grain and seed crops
grasses and legumes
wild herbaceous plants
hardwood trees
coniferous plants
wetland plants
shallow water areas
openland wildlife
woodland wildlife
wetland wildlife
If you refer to your soils map (which is a marked up aerial photo of your land) you will note numbers, letters denote slope in percent, some symbols and lines indicating different soil types.
The number is the soil name as found in the chart. Then cross reference the number wtih each column to find out what the potential for habitat is.
This information has helped me from making some mistakes in the planning of the layout of my land. It will help you with yours. Best of all this info is available free from your conservation district office. It may help you decide on a land purchase.
The potentials are rated in terms of :
very poor
poor
fair
good
My land has 4 different soil types and a symbol like the 5 on a pair of dice (sand deposit). I find it usefull and the data is right on the money.
Michigan has 159 types of soil with some even being divided further into percent grade or slope?
This index is in matrix format and the 11 columns are as follows:
soil name and map symbol
grain and seed crops
grasses and legumes
wild herbaceous plants
hardwood trees
coniferous plants
wetland plants
shallow water areas
openland wildlife
woodland wildlife
wetland wildlife
If you refer to your soils map (which is a marked up aerial photo of your land) you will note numbers, letters denote slope in percent, some symbols and lines indicating different soil types.
The number is the soil name as found in the chart. Then cross reference the number wtih each column to find out what the potential for habitat is.
This information has helped me from making some mistakes in the planning of the layout of my land. It will help you with yours. Best of all this info is available free from your conservation district office. It may help you decide on a land purchase.
The potentials are rated in terms of :
very poor
poor
fair
good
My land has 4 different soil types and a symbol like the 5 on a pair of dice (sand deposit). I find it usefull and the data is right on the money.
