Getting the Dirt on the North Cascades: Soil Ecology - Online
Event Details
Beneath every old-growth forest, wildflower meadow, and alpine lake lies a hidden story written in soil.
Detailed soil map unit delineations and numbers draped over a photograph looking south down the Grizzly Creek drainage toward McGregor Mountain.
Join hydrologist and soil scientist Toby Rodgers for an engaging exploration of the remarkable diversity of soils found throughout North Cascades National Park—and how they shape the landscapes, plant communities, and watersheds we know today. As the Soil Survey project leader for the park, Toby spent years traversing rugged terrain with a field crew, documenting soils and ecological sites from valley bottoms to alpine ridges.
Typical profile of a Treen soil. Numerals on tape indicate inches.
Drawing on firsthand field experience, Toby will introduce the fascinating processes that create and transform soils, explain why different plant communities thrive where they do, and reveal how geologic history, climate, and topography work together to shape the landscape. He’ll also share stories from installing and maintaining remote snow telemetry stations and snow courses throughout the park, highlighting how snowpack monitoring helps scientists understand and manage one of the Pacific Northwest’s most important water resources.
Typical area of Bacon fine sandy loam in an area of Kimtah-Bacon-Yawning complex, 0 to 35 percent slopes, at Pelton Basin.
Whether you’re a gardener, hiker, naturalist, or simply curious about what lies beneath your feet, you’ll come away with a new appreciation for the living foundation of the North Cascades—and a deeper understanding of the forces that continue to shape this extraordinary landscape.
Hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) in an area of Stetattle-Doubtful-Arriva complex, 15 to 100 percent slopes, at Cascade Pass.
If you can't make the specific date or time of a class you want to take, you can still register and we will send you a link to view the program on your own time! All registrants will have access to the class recording for a limited time to re-watch too.