MLRA Soil Survey Offices
There are 2 MLRA Soil Survey Offices that serve the majority of Vermont
Soil surveys used to be conducted on a county by county basis. In older surveys the extent of soil map units often followed political boundaries rather than natural features and climatic factors. In order to harmonize the data across physiographic regions, soil survey offices are now organized by MLRA administrative units which cut across state boundaries.
What is an MLRA?
Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) are geographically associated land resource units (LRUs) that share a common land use, elevation and topography, climate, water, soils, and vegetation.
Most of Vermont has been divided into two different MLRAs:
- The Paul Smiths office in New York covers the Champlain Valley in Vermont. This office covers portions of both Vermont and New York.
- The St Johnsbury office covers the rest of Vermont. In total, the St Johnsbury MLRA office covers 11,856,318 acres in parts of 6 states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont).
The boundaries of the MLRA regions are somewhat fluid and have undergone adjustment over time.
2015 Map of Northeast MLRA Regions
St Johnsbury MLRA Office Address:
481 Summer Street
Suite 202
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
Telephone: (802) 748-2641
Fax: (802) 748-1621
Robert Long -Soil Survey Office Leader
refer to the VT NRCS state directory for personnel contact information
Paul Smiths MLRA Office Address:
12-PAS MLRA Soil Survey Office
8023 State Route 30
Paul Smiths, NY 12970
Telephone: (518) 327-3774
Smith, Gerald W. – Soil Survey Office Leader – gerald.smith@ny.usda.gov
