Soil Science Society of America
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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Hanna Jeske, Associate Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy, 608-268-3972, hjeske@sciencesocieties.org
Soil Celebration to Designate Sunnyside as DC Soil
* * * Media Advisory * * *
Event on Monday will Dig and Display
Washington DC’s Representative Soil: Sunnyside
Join the celebration to designate Washington DC’s official representative soil, “Sunnyside,” that will be included as part of the Smithsonian’s new Soils Exhibit, scheduled for 2008.
WHAT: Soil Celebration to Designate “Sunnyside Soil Series” as the Representative Soil for the District of Columbia
WHERE: United States National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20002
WHEN: Monday, April 23, 10:30 to 11:30 am
WHO: Soil Science Society of America, USDA-NRCS, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, including invited speakers Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns; National Arboretum Director Dr. Thomas Elias; and Robert Hyman, Chair District of Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District.
WHY: Soil is the theme of a scheduled 2008 Smithsonian exhibit with a focus on conservation and sustainability. The USDA collection of state soils is scheduled to be displayed next year as part of the National Museum of Natural History's soils exhibit called "Worlds Underfoot." The museum is working with the Soil Science Society of America to develop this 5,000 square foot exhibit, scheduled to open in 2008 and run for one and one-half years.
Members of the media, public information officers, and individuals and families interested in soil are invited to attend.
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Along with official soils from each state, hands-on educational, interactive sections and related publications, web activities, and a traveling exhibit are being planned for the Soils Exhibit. More than $2 million has already been raised for the $3.25 million project. Corporate branding, messaging, and marketing opportunities are still available and can be coordinated through SSSA. To learn more about the exhibit, corporate sponsorship benefits, or individual donations, visit http://www.soils.org/smithsonian. A two-minute video on the project can also be viewed at this site.
For more information on the Smithsonian Soils Exhibit or the DC Soil Celebration, contact:
Media Inquiries: Sara Uttech, Soil Science Society of America, 608-268-4948, suttech@soils.org
Public Inquiries: Paul Kamps, Soil Science Society of America/Agronomic Science Foundation, 608-268-4975, pkamps@soils.org