State soil on display

Published/Last Modified on Thursday, Aug 14, 2008 - 06:05:52 am CDT

Capital Journal staff

HURON — The state Soil of South Dakota, Houdek, is featured in a new exhibition called "Dig it! The Secrets of Soil" at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The new 5,000-square-foot exhibition reveals the complex world of soil and how it supports nearly every form of life on Earth.

"There are more living creatures in a shovelful of rich soil than human beings on the planet," explains Janet Oertly, state conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Huron. "Yet, more is known about the dark side of the moon than about soil."

These are just a few of the fascinating facts in the exhibit on the National Mall which is visited by more than 6 million people a year — all of whom will now have the opportunity to learn more about the vital importance of soil in our daily lives.

South Dakota’s State Soil, Houdek, joined 54 soil displays, called monoliths, representing each state, territory and the District of Columbia.

The Houdek soil was designated as the South Dakota State Soil by the 1990 State Legislature. It is a native soil and is not found in any other state.

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