Page 15 - ALG Issue 4 2023

snippets
Soil Maps
Have you ever wondered why your soil is always full of stones, no matter how many you remove each year? Or why it bakes solid as rock in summer, despite the organic matter you add?
‘The Soilscape Viewer’, developed by Cranfield University, might enlighten you. Cranfield University near Milton Keynes is recognised worldwide
for their research and teaching in plants, soil, water and air. Their work ranges from basic aspects of soil physics, chemistry and biology to soil resource evaluation, sustainable soil management, soil conservation and land restoration. Since the 1970s, they have analysed and categorised the general soil types of Britain and this information is freely available through their Land Information System (LandIS). There is an online map, ‘The Soilscape Viewer’, with which you can zoom into your local area to discover your town’s local soil type. For example, where I
live in Tiverton, my soil is described as ‘Soilscape 20 - loamy and clayey
floodplains soil with naturally high water table’, whereas just some 200m away, the soil is ‘Soilscape 6 - freely draining acid loamy soil’. The map gives further information on the soil characteristics such as texture, fertility, drainage and coverage. My soil is found in only 2.5% of England and Wales.
You can find the information on the following link; www.landis.co.uk/ soilscapes as well as more detailed descriptions of soil types and soil ‘associations’. It’s almost interesting.
The website also has links to a useful learning site www.soil-net.com which ties in learning about soil with key stages 1-4 of the national curriculum. Now, that is interesting.
Mark Joynes, South West Regional Representative
No Dig Day 2023
Friday 3rd November marks No Dig Day 2023 – a day established by Charles Dowding to celebrate and promote no dig gardens and gardeners around the world. Last year’s No Dig Day saw people share their no dig stories on social media. Keep an eye out on Charles Dowding’s social media pages for how to take part in 2023.
Apology: In the report, on the 2023 AGM printed in ALG 3, on page 32 it was mistakenly reported that comments from Wyn Marshall led to the increase in membership charges being dropped. This was not the case and we offer a sincere apology.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 15