Soil Health & Sampling

Soil is the foundation of our ecosystem, playing a critical role in food production, water quality, air health, and climate stability. Healthy soils provide habitat for organisms, anchor plants, filter and store water, recycle nutrients, and support biodiversity. Protecting and improving soil health benefits not only our ability to grow food, but also our forests, wetlands, and the ability to maintain our built environments.

what is soil health?

Soil health is the ability of soil to function as a living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and people. We offer guidance on practices that improve soil health, including:

• Use of Organic Amendments – Adding compost or animal manure to enrich soil fertility.

• Cover Cropping – Planting cover crops to improve soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase organic matter.

• Residue Management – Keeping plant residue (stalks, grass clippings, roots) on the soil surface to maintain moisture and protect against erosion.

• Reduced Tillage – Minimizing soil disturbance to promote soil structure and microbial health.

• Erosion Control – Implementing strategies to reduce runoff and maintain soil integrity.

  ( To learn more about TCD’s Agricultural Conservation Planting Program, which provides grants towards the implementation of conservation tillage, cover crop, and/or drill seeding practices: Click here).

Soil health assesments & sampling

Understanding your soil’s condition is essential for long-term improvement. A soil health assessment provides a baseline measurement and tracks changes over time based on specific management practices. A comprehensive assessment considers physical, chemical, and biological factors.

We can assist with evaluations and offer additional resources. Field observations, such as assessing erosion, compaction, color changes, root development, and microbial activity, provide valuable insights. For a more detailed analysis, laboratory testing measures key indicators, including pH, soluble salts, excess lime, organic matter, nitrates, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, cation exchange capacity, base saturation, sulfates, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, boron, chloride, soil texture, heavy metals, and sodium absorption ratio.

next steps for soil sampling & analysis

Whether you're a farmer, rancher, gardener, or simply looking to understand your lawn’s health, soil testing provides valuable insights for informed land management decisions. We offer a 50% cost-share per soil sample, up to $200 per landowner, for samples analyzed by a university laboratory or a lab participating in the North American Proficiency Testing program. Soil testing kits are available through Colorado State University, and we can assist with sample collection if needed. To request support, schedule a soil health assessment, or learn more about soil sampling and analysis, contact Robb Sgroi at robb@tetonconservation.org or call 307.733.2100.