Who is the Professional Soil Consultant and What Do They Want?

In May 2009, the National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists (NSCSS) presented the results of a professional practice survey at the National Soil Survey Planning Conference in Las Cruces New Mexico. The study was comprised of 42 questions using online survey software in late spring 2008. The survey was intended to help profile professional soil consultants who are business owners or partners. NSCSS solicited participation in the survey through a member email containing a hyperlink to the online survey. Eighty eight responses were received by the June 30, 2008 deadline.

Initial results of the survey were presented at the Southern Regional Soil Survey Planning Conference in July 2008 held in Gainesville Florida. Survey questions were grouped into the broad categories of general questions about the respondent, the consulting firm’s practice, profile of the firm’s principal, business and the economy and issues of importance to the professional soil consultant. Almost half of the NSCSS 191 membership participated in the survey.

A surprising 91 percent of the respondents reported that consulting was their full time occupation and 86 percent reported that SOIL consulting was their primary area of consulting. While only 11 percent maintained out-of-state offices, 56 percent worked in states located outside their home office location.

Nearly half of those surveyed were sole practitioners, and an additional 30 percent represented firms of 4 persons or less. Only 13 percent of the firms represented employed more than 10 persons. While 75 percent of the represented firms employed only 1 soil scientist, 5 percent of the firms employed 4 to 8 soil scientists. There were no reports of firms that employed more than 8 soil scientists.

One question asked “For how many years were you employed as a professional soil scientist before you started or joined your consulting firm?” A reassuring 46 percent practiced soil science before becoming a consultant. A disturbing 8 percent responded that soil consulting was their first job in soil science.

While only 27 percent said they had retired before they began to consult, a significant 59 percent of the respondents were 50 years of age or older, and 28 percent were 60 years of age or older. Twenty percent gave their ages in both the categories of 41 to 50 years old and 31 to 40 years old.

Level of education split the responses nearly in half with 45 percent reporting bachelors level education and 48 percent reporting masters level education. Only 7 percent reported doctorate level education.

Over 70 percent said they attended 2 to 5 professional society meetings per year, and after NSCSS, state organizations ranked second at 86 percent followed by 58 percent who were members of the Soil Science Society of America. Only 18 percent are members of the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, and 17 percent are members of the Society of Wetland Scientists.

Survey respondents were asked to indicate which of 22 areas of practice soil scientists employed their company are routinely engaged. Responses were as follows:

• Septic Tanks 74%
• Hydric soils / Wetlands 65%
• Soil Mapping 65%
• Home site Evaluations. 61%
• Other Sewage 54%
• Other Natural Resource Permitting 41%
• Wetland Mitigation 40%
• Site Suitability (not Home site) 38%
• Sediment and Erosion Control 30%
• Agriculture 26%
• Habitat Mapping 20%
• Forestry 20%
• Ecosystem Restoration 20%
• EIS / DRI 17%
• 404 Permitting 16%
• Site Remediation 16%
• Geophysical 15%
• Archaeology 12%
• Subaqueous Soils 10%
• Pollution Control 7%
• Mine Reclamation 7%
• Natural Resource Banking 6%

Area of practice responses were somewhat predictable, with projects in the septic tank arena topping the list at 74 percent followed by Hydric Soils and Soil Mapping both at 65 percent. Perhaps most interesting in these results is that two fields practice highly dependent upon the expertise of soil scientists came in surprising low with only 30 percent of the respondents reporting that they work in sediment and erosion control and a very low 7 percent reporting that they worked in mine reclamation.

The economy was on top of the list for concerns by soil scientists responding to the survey. Eighty one percent said that the economy had severely affected their work relating to septic tanks and 67 percent said that the recession had affected their workload overall. Sixty percent said that the recession had pushed them to diversify their services.

Other issues of concern were professional registration, licensing and/or certification, and educating the public regarding the value of soil scientists; however the economy was still twice as important among those who responded to this question. Recruitment was only a concern to 6 percent of the respondents. Other specific concerns voiced included the problem of engineers practicing soil science without qualifications and state agencies’ lack of understanding with regard to the benefit of professional soil science services.

An update of the professional practice survey is planned for the spring of 2010. Input from NSCSS members regarding the nature of the survey or specific topics and questions should be addressed to the author.