Media Release
U.S. Department of Agrigulture Provides Technical Soils Assistance to the FSM
September 19, 2009
From August 24 to September 4, a team from United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources and Conservation Services (NRCS) offered soils training to FSM State and National agency staff, the College of Micronesia, and conservation partners in Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. The NRCS team included Soil Science and Natural Resource Assessments Assistant Director Dr. Michael Robotham of Hawaii, Assistant State Soil Scientist Dr. Robert Gavenda of Guam, and Soil Conservation Technician Gibson Santos of Pohnpei.
The NRCS soils training sessions were tailored for each state, and exposed participants to land use and conservation. Participants learned about the basic kinds of soils, soil distribution in the landscape in their state survey area, soil properties and behavior and how these influence management decisions for agriculture and engineering applications. In becoming familiar with the soil survey, participants are now better equipped for land use planning and matching soil and site characteristics with the desired use of the land.
According to NRCS, the goal of the training was “to build local capacity in using and interpreting soils and soil surveys for a host of resource management needs within the FSM.” Similar training will be offered in Yap State in 2010.
Working under the umbrella of the United States Department of State, USDA-NRCS assists the FSM with natural resource management as part of the Compact of Free Association. This assistance includes soil mapping and other soils information. All FSM States had USDA soils maps produced in the early 1980s. These maps are available through the NRCS web site and as hardcopies available from the NRCS Field Office on Pohnpei. A soils GIS layer is currently available for Pohnpei. GIS layers for Chuuk and Kosrae States will be available by 2010.