Soil Conservation Technician Certificate

The Soil Conservation Technician certificate provides students with the concepts, methods, and applications of field work in soil conservation.  Emphasis is on techniques in data collection by following industry protocols for proper collection of reliable data, and quality assurance procedures.  The students will be prepared to collect soil samples, record keeping, by using web maps and web field applications.  In addition to performing field work, the technicians will complete tasks such as compilation and review of collected data, database management, and data analysis, in collaboration with or in support of certified professionals.  

More specifically, the technician surveys, plots, lays out, and stakes selected sites and assists landowners in selecting, installing, and maintaining a variety of measures that conserve and improve the soil, plant, water, marsh, wildlife and recreational resources of a land area. Examples of single conservation measures that may be employed on a land site include contour cultivation, grass waterways, terracing, tree planting, field windbreaks, irrigation ditches, grass and legume seeding, and farm drains. 

Students who complete this program may get entry-level jobs as field technicians and assist soil conservationists in the implementation of resource management system plans, by surveying, staking, information gathering, and overall preparation for related field activities in soil conservation.

We anticipate that 8-10 students will complete this program. 

One of the college’s missions is to train students for the workforce.  This vocational certificate is designed to get students prepared and ready for entry level positions as soil conservation technicians in a variety of industries and settings, including private firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.

Agriculture is the backbone of communities in the Central Valley and soil conservation will remain a top priority in years to come. There is a concerted effort, consisting in legislative framework and monetary incentives at federal, state, and local levels to assist producers and landowners who wish to practice conservation on agricultural lands.   In this context, soil conservationists will be sought after in years to come and this program will meet the labor demands in our area.

Yuba College prepares a diverse student population to excel in a rapidly changing, interdependent world.  Our quality programs and student services empower students to achieve their educational and life goals, by providing associate and transfer degrees, certificates and workforce training and opportunities for lifelong learning.  

The Soil Conservation Technician Certificate aligns well with the Mission Statement of the college: 

- It will provide students with the foundational skills that will ensure entry level positions in wide range of organizations that employ field work and collection in hydrology in their day-to-day workflows.

- It will stimulate interest in lifelong learning in a fast paced and rapidly changing technology 

- It will prepare students for the intellectual, occupational, and technological challenges of a complex world.

- It develops students' abilities to think scientifically and objectively. 

Yuba College is located in the heart of California's Central Valley, the leading agricultural area in the nation in terms of both value and crop diversity. While the high productivity is driven using fertilizers, pesticides, and a controlled water supply, California’s soils face many challenges. 

 Our college received a grant from the Yuba Water Agency, with the purpose to develop innovative programs and training, which will create a skilled workforce in natural resources and conservation. Soil conservation is key to environmental sustainability. It helps protect natural resources and watersheds, restores habitats for plants and wildlife, improves water quality, and makes soil healthier for agriculture. Soil conservation also creates economic opportunity. Productive and healthy soil helps farmers meet increased demand for agricultural commodities, driving economic growth for our area. 

Soil conservation is a top priority for California; there has been a renewed interest in soil health, as proven by the California Healthy Soils Initiative, passed by the California Legislature in 2016. The program has five main goals: to protect and restore soil organic matter in California’s soils; to identify sustainable and integrated financing opportunities to facilitate healthy soils; to provide research, education, and technical support to facilitate healthy soils; to increase governmental efficiencies to enhance soil health on public and private lands, and to promote interagency coordination and collaboration to support soils and related state goals. 

 To meet the needs of our community as a whole, Yuba College strives to diversify the existing educational programs, by adding CTE certificates with an emphasis on sustainability and conservation, which will supply a steady and well-trained workforce for many and diverse local agencies, ranging from privately owned farms to county, state or federal agencies. 

The Soil Conservation Technician Certificate will create a workforce equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to perform entry-level tasks and workflows in fieldwork related to soil conservation.