Illinois Landowners Invited to Contribute to Historic Soil Analysis Project

By Andi Anderson

Illinois landowners are invited to play a pivotal role in a groundbreaking soil analysis project led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research team. The project, spanning 120 years, aims to understand how soils have changed over time, utilizing an unprecedented archive of ancient soil samples dating back to the late 1800s.

Soil scientist Andrew Margenot, leading the initiative, discovered an extensive collection of 8,000 soil samples in a university barn set for demolition. Supported by funding from the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) and Illinois Farm Bureau, the project seeks participation from current landowners.

To contribute, landowners can allow the research team to re-sample the original 453 locations. Currently, only 8% of the sites have been accessed. Margenot emphasizes the minimal impact of the sampling process, ensuring privacy by anonymizing the locations at the county level.

The comparative analysis of historic and current soil samples promises unparalleled insights into Illinois' soil resource base, offering valuable data on climate change effects, erosion, and sustainable practices. The findings stand to benefit farmers, engineers, and municipal planners.

Participating landowners not only contribute to significant scientific research but also gain access to their soil analysis results—a $5,000 value. The research team, led by Margenot, is available to discuss and interpret the results, providing an invaluable opportunity for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Illinois property owners interested in participating can explore the soil archive map, click on location pins, and find individual sign-up links for each site. For more details, landowners can directly contact the researchers at margenot@illinois.edu or suweixu2@illinois.edu.

Be part of this transformative soil analysis initiative and contribute to understanding the dynamic changes in Illinois soils over the past 120 years.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-sasiistock