Download - New Zealand Society of Soil Science

Figure 2 Student numbers in SOIL 202 (1993-2002)
and SOIL 203 (1993-2006)
Student numbers
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
SOIL 202
SOIL 203
0
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Year
In total, nearly 2000 students enrolled in soils papers over the period 1969 to 2006.
Student surveys over the years indicated that students found the papers challenging. This was
particularly the case when SOIL 202 was introduced. Many of the more academically able students
really enjoyed the intellectual challenge that SOIL 202 presented but others were not so sure!
Despite the student perception that these were quite difficult papers, pass rates were always good,
particularly for SOIL 203 but they were a little lower for SOIL 202. Many very able students took the
papers over the years, including past and present foresters. Some students carried on to careers in Soil
Science including David Wardle, Phil Hart, Peter Clinton and Kate Orwin. Others such as Barry
Maister (Secretary General of the NZ Olympic Committee) and David Simmons (Professor of
Tourism at Lincoln University) took different paths.
The End of the Programme
In 2006, with John Adams’ retirement pending, debate within the Soil and Physical Sciences Group at
Lincoln University took place over whether they wished to continue offering to teach Soil Science at
the University of Canterbury. Nobody was keen to take over and there were also administrative issues
about the funding of the programme. In fact funding arrangements had quite often been unclear to
successive Heads of the Department of Soil Science and the Soil and Physical Sciences Group pretty
much since 1969, in part because funding had not been handled by them but by the university
administration. In any event, the decision was made to withdraw from the programme as from the start
of 2007 and this decision was formally conveyed to the University of Canterbury by Dr Chris Kirk,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University in August 2006.
The Future
Soil Science is still being taught at the University of Canterbury. The School of Forestry contracted
John Adams to deliver a modified SOIL 203 Soil Fertility paper in 2007 and 2008 with a probable
extension to 2009. The new paper is shorter than previously with a prescription which includes a
significant section on soil formation, soil processes and New Zealand soils. It is still a compulsory
paper for BForSc and BE (Forestry) students and is also available for BSc students.
This is really an interim arrangement and it remains to be seen whether or in what form any future
delivery of a paper in Soil Science takes place. Given the burgeoning recognition of Soil Science as an
integral part of so many other areas of science, it is to be hoped that its continuation will be possible.
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