5 February 2011
Archival Gold: National Resources Conservation Service Photo Gallery
Posted by Jessica Ball
Following up on my last post, in which I mentioned volcanic soils (and the plants that can be found in volcanic settings), I thought I’d feature a photo gallery that highlights some of those same things. The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is part of the Department of Agriculture, and is responsible for helping to improve, protect, and conserve natural resources on private lands through a cooperative partnership with local and state agencies. (It used to be known as the Soil Conservation Service, but its mission has expanded beyond soil to other natural resources.)
The NRCS Photo Gallery features photos of natural resources and conservation activities in the United States, as well as images of NRCS activities and employees. (It’s a great website to use if you’re doing photo research for a textbook – and if you want to include the traditional ‘person for scale’.) You can search photos by state or category; here are a few from different categories:
Erosion by wind/water
"Mancos shale is eroded by the forces of wind and water." Photo by Tim McCabe, NRCS
Natural disasters
Dessicated sediment in an Arkansas lake, 1983. Photo by Tim McCabe, NRCS
Watersheds
The Snake River and Grand Tetons near Jackson Hole, WY. Photo by Tim McCabe, NRCS
Scenic
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado. Photo by Gene Alexander, NRCS
Jessica Ball is a volcanologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, researching volcanic hydrothermal systems and stability, and doing science communication for the California Volcano Observatory. She previously worked at the Geological Society of America's Washington DC Policy Office, learning about the intersection of Earth science and legislative affairs. Her Mendenhall postdoc and PhD focused on how water affects the stability of volcanoes, and involved both field investigations and numerical modeling applications. Her blogging covers a range of topics, from her experiences in academic geosciences to science outreach and communication to her field and lab work in volcanology.