Soil, the thin mantle on the earths surface, sustains us. Soil provides water, nutrients, temperature moderation, and physical support to the plants we harvest for food, fiber, wood, and biofuels. Soil provides building materials for houses and the foundation for roads. We cycle many of our wastes through soil as biosolids, animal manures, or via septic systems. Soil provides critical ecosystem services, such as water purification and storage, carbon sequestration and pollution remediation. Because soil is essential to our everyday lives, sound stewardship of this vital resource is paramount to humankind. The Department of Soil Science at NC State University addresses the many important roles of soil through our teaching, research and outreach programs.

Address: Box 7619, 100 Derieux Street, Williams Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7619, USA
Telephone: 919.515.2655
Fax: 919.515.2167
Website: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/