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The Soils 2008 Conference is over, and we now have time to reflect on the week's activities. A highlight was the Opening Plenary Address by Professor Dan Hillel, of Columbia University, entitled Homo et Humus. This was followed by six Theme Speakers addressing issues of major importance to soils and the environment. A Closing Plenary Address by Dr. Paul Reynolds, CEO of the Ministry for the Environment, centred around the Importance of Soils to New Zealand. Megan Balks also presented the Norman Taylor Memorial Lecture on Gelisols of the World. Social events included a hangi, a steam train ride through the Manawatu Gorge, a visit to the Te Apiti wind farm, a BBQ, and of course the Conference Dinner.
A total of 348 participants attended. There were 189 oral presentations and 66 posters. Registrants came from as far afield as Denmark, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Japan.
We wish to advise registrants that:
- The Extended Abstracts are provided on the USB supplied to you at the Conference. Only the Short Abstracts were printed in hard copy (to save trees and the weight in your Conference satchel !).
- Should you wish to obtain the field trip notes from trips you did not participate on, electronic versions may be downloaded from this website (please click on Field Trip Guides page).
I do want to thank the Organising Committee, the IT staff, our student supporters, the farm owners of properties visited, and all the other people who made this Conference the success many of you have told us it was. In particular we extend our grateful thanks to our major sponsors - AGMARDT and CSIRO who assisted in funding key speakers to attend the Conference. Thank you too for participating.
Vince Neall
Chair, Soils 2008 Organising Committee
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