Online Soil Resources
CANADIAN SOIL MAPS AND NATIONAL DATA
Agricultural Land Reserve Maps – hosted on the Agricultural Land Commission website
Canadian Soil Information Services (CanSIS) – Government of Canada provided soil data and land resource
information, including the national soil database, interactive maps, soil interpretations, soil survey reports,
printed maps, a publication archive, photo gallery and glossary
The Canadian System of Soil Classification, 3rd ed. – a searchable publication of the Government of Canada Soil
Classification Working Group issued in 1998, details the soil orders of Canada
Soils of Canada – outlines how soils are formed, digital soil maps, and a field guide addressing:
Soil Genesis and Geographical Distribution
Site and Sampling Point Description
Soil Profile Description
Horizon Identification
Taxonomic Key for Canadian Soils
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Interactive Soil Maps – includes a national ecological framework and a Canada
Land Inventory
SOIL SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONS
Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) – professional soil scientists across Canada
Pacific Regional Society of Soil Science (PRSSS) – students, researchers, consultants and professionals in British
Columbia
BC Institute of Agrologists – 400+ practicing agrologists, professionals in agriculture, food production,
environment and resource management
Soil Conservation Council of Canada – founded in 1987 to address soil health priorities nationally
International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) – global union of soil scientists
Soil Science Society of America – professional soil experts in the US
Soil and Water Conservation Society – global professionals in natural resource conservation
Soil Science Australia – soil scientists in Australia promoting soil as a finite resource
New Zealand Society of Soil Science – formed in 1952, with local and international members
Africa Soil Science Society – founded in 1986 to connect African soil scientists
British Society of Soil Science – UK society for soil scientists, professionals and the public
American Society of Agronomy – 7,000+ members and 12,000+ certified professionals
List of International Soil Science Societies – maintained by the European Soil Data Centre
SOIL ASSESSMENT AND TESTING
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Manual, Handbook No. 18 – released by Soil Science
Division Staff in 2017
Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health – Cornell University – standardized soil testing method, used by
several national initiatives
Methods manual for forest soil and plant analysis – published by the Canadian Forest Services in 1991
Soil Health Institute North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Global Land Degradation
Information System (GLADIS) – outlines global soil health indicators
CANADIAN BASED SOIL SCIENCE LONG-TERM EXPERIMENTS
University of Alberta Breton Plots – classical and Hendrigan plots
BC long-term soil productivity study – effects of organic matter on forest soil productivity
Range Reference Areas of the southern interior of BC – monitors the impact of livestock, wildlife
and other disturbances on rangelands
Fluxnet Canada – Canadian Carbon Program Data Collection (1993-2014) – carbon cycling
Bibliography of Scientific Publications Based on Long-term Crop Rotation Studies in the
Canadian Prairies – a 2012 listing of scientific publications on long-term crop rotations in Canada
PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS – CANADA/BC
BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
BC Agricultural Land Commission
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Environment and Climate Change Canada
INTERNATIONAL SOIL LINKS
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service
– provides guidance and insights on soil biology, health assessment, literature and resources
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations – Land and Water Portal – addresses topics such as
sustainable land management, land assessment and impacts, governance and planning, restoration, soils,
databases, and policy approaches.
Global Soil Partnership (GSP) – established in 2012 to position soils in the global agenda
North America Regional Soil Partnership (NARSP) – established 2014 with US & Canada
Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) – established 2013 top soil experts
2015 International Year of Soils – healthy soils for a healthy life
International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) aka World Soil Information – data hub and soil data
collections, world soil museum, soil property estimates globally to 250m
European Commission Joint Research Centre – European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC) – soil data and information
at the European level, including maps, documents, events, projects and resources
Soil Biodiversity Atlas – a synthesis of global soil biodiversity research, froma joint venture of the Global Soil
Biodiversity Initiative and the European Commission Joint Research Centre
INSTITUTES AND NETWORKS
Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative – a collaboration of scientists to advance policy options and
incorporate scientific knowledge on soil biodiversity and ecosystem efforts into dialogue
Regeneration International – an umbrella group working to facilitate a transition to principles of regenerative
agriculture through regional partnerships globally
Regeneration Canada – promotes soil regeneration across multiple disciplines nationally
“4 per 1000” Initiative – created after the Paris COP in 2015 to capture carbon in soil at the rate of 4 parts per
1000 to address food security and climate change
Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases – Croplands Research Group – includes a global
research alliance modelling platform (GRAMP) to share information about biogeochemical ecosystem
modelling, a literature database, and several conservation networks
Rodale Institute – provides farmer and consumer training, and conducts long-term field trials of organic and
regenerative agricultural practices
Savory Institute – a global effort to adopt holistic land management practices to regenerate soil
Soil Foodweb Institute – an international soil biology group providing laboratory soil testing and soil biology
consultancy services
The Land Institute – plant breeders and ecologists working globally to develop perennial polycultures that mimic
natural ecosystems as alternatives to annual crops
Soil Health Partnership – promotes the adoption of soil health practices in the US
The Savanna Institute – explores agroforestry as a climate solution and provides extensive resources to address
biodiversity and soil quality globally
SOIL SCIENCE EDUCATION
Wageningen University and Research – 10 module free online course in Sustainable Soil Management: Soil for Life,
with opportunity for paid verified certificate
Soil Science Society of America – free webinars on soil health and other soil topics
Review of 92 soil science preparatory degree programs at 86 universities in the US
American Society of Agronomy – provides regular webinars and courses on soil topics
UBC Land and Food Systems – undergraduate and graduate programs in soil and agriculture
SoilWeb200 – online soil science concepts created for undergraduate soil students
Soil Web.ca – general web-based resources and on-line courses
Thompson Rivers University – Applied Sustainable Ranching program in Williams Lake
University of Alberta – Soil Monoliths Collections
University of Alberta – Land Reclamation International Graduate School
Soil-net.com – provides soil-based activities and information broken down by grade level
A Chaos of Delight – A Photographic Guide to Soil Mesofauna with many links
International Union of Soil Sciences
Children’s Book Competition – winning books are available online
Playful Soils Educational Resources – songs, videos, poems, activities and books for kids
“Dig it! DIY The Secrets of Soil” – developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History with
support from the SSSA
Frontiers for Young Minds – Soil biodiversity collection of articles written for youth
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – education material for teachers K-12
MENTAL WELLNESS OF FARMERS
Government of Canada Standing Select Committee Report – released in 2019 and titled “Mental Health: A Priority
for Our Farmers”, this report outlines 10 recommendations for attention
National Survey of Farmer Mental Health – conducted by Dr. Andria Jones-Britton in 2018, as part of the Standing
Select Committee report, involving 1,100 producers across Canada
Farm Management Canada – offers research and tools to support “Health Minds, Healthy Farms”, including a
media kit, and a report on mental health and farm business management
Farm Credit Canada – Rooted in Strength – provide an overview and assessment tool to support farmers to identify
and manage sources of stress, and offer links to mental health resources
Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag) – maintains a detailed list of resources for farmers and offers
community-based training in mental health for farmers in Canada
Young Agrarians – provide a suite of tools for farmer mental health and wellness
4-H Canada’s Health Living Initiative – 10 tip sheets, an activity guide, a webinar, and a Kids Help Phone are
available to support the mental health and wellness of farmers across Canada
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – provide an infographic on overall mental health status of
farmers in Canada
Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) – provides several factsheets and resources to build wellness on the
farm, including a farm stress inventory and management plan, and a report called “Difficult Times: Stress on the Farm”Canadian Mental Health Association
(CMHA) – local CMHA branches provide resources for farmers based on collaboration with agricultural industry leaders