Understanding and Strengthening the Soil Food Web for Sustainable Landscapes
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**AIA credit is not available in USB format.
Streamable MP4/PDF
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USB MP4/PDF
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Please contact HalfMoon Education if you have any questions during the process of taking this course. (715) 835-5900 or qchapman@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Monday, May 5, 2025
1:00 – 4:15 pm CDT
Agenda:
Presented by Pasquale Caccavella
Introduction: Understanding the Importance of Healthy Soil in Landscape Architecture
- Defining healthy soil
- Characteristics and indicators of healthy soil
- The role of soil in ecosystem functioning
- How soil health influences water cycles, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity
- Importance of soil health for sustainable landscapes
- Connecting soil health to resilient and thriving landscapes
Exploring the Soil Food Web
- Defining the soil food web
- Key functions and components of the soil food web
- Overview of soil organisms
- Roles and benefits of diverse soil inhabitants:
- Microorganisms: Bacteria, fungi, protozoans, nematodes
- Macroorganisms: Earthworms, arthropods, reptiles, birds, and mammals
- Roles and benefits of diverse soil inhabitants:
- Interactions and relationships within the soil food web
- Symbiotic relationships and nutrient flows
Assessing Soil Health
- The importance of soil testing and assessment
- Why and how to evaluate soil conditions
- Techniques for assessing soil health
- Understanding physical, chemical, and biological indicators
- Demonstrations of practical soil assessment techniques
Strengthening the Soil Food Web
- Introduction to soil management practices
- Foundational practices to boost soil biology and health
- Techniques for strengthening the soil food web
- Adding organic matter:
- Methods: Composting, mulching, liquid amendments, compost tea, compost extract
- Reducing compaction:
- Techniques: Aeration and incorporating cover crops
- Minimizing tillage:
- Approaches: No-till farming and conservation tillage
- Adding organic matter:
- Practical applications and case studies
- Real-world examples – demonstrate successful soil management
Implementation and Best Practices
- Understanding successional plant ranges
- Aligning plant choices with soil conditions and succession stages
- Integrating soil health principles into landscape design and management
- Strategies for embedding soil health into projects from the ground up
- Sustainable landscaping techniques
- Incorporating permaculture principles and regenerative design
- Community engagement and education
- How to involve the community in soil health initiatives
- Further learning and implementation
- Resources and next steps for deepening soil health practices
Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.
Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.
Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.
GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)
Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled
Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps Hardware: 2GB RAM or more
For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com
Credits
Engineers
3.0 PDHs
Landscape Architects
3.0 HSW CE Hours
LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
3.0 HSW PDHs
Continuing Education Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 3.0 PDHs for professional engineers and 3.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed landscape architects in most states that allow this learning method. Please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider License No: CEA362), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700) and North Carolina (S-0130). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers and landscape architects via its registration with the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System. Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses.
The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 3.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).
*On-Demand Credits*
The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
3.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES)
Speakers
Pasquale Caccavella
Salem Soil Solutions, Winston-Salem, NCPasquale Caccavella’s journey into soil biology began eight years ago, driven by a deep fascination with mycology. This initial curiosity soon evolved into a broader passion for permaculture, regenerative agriculture, and holistic soil health. In 2022, he enrolled in Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web School, earning certification as a laboratory technician specializing in the biological analysis of soil food web microorganisms. Through Salem Soil Solutions, he operates a cutting-edge biological testing laboratory, providing comprehensive soil assessments and a diverse range of biologically active soil amendments, including compost, vermicompost, and organic mineral amendments. Mr. Caccavella’s applied work serves private homeowners, farmers, and landscapers throughout the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. By generating valuable soil testing data, he tailors precise amendment applications to meet the specific needs of each client, ensuring healthier soils and more resilient landscapes. Mr. Caccavella’s dedication to soil health is rooted in a mission to cultivate thriving, sustainable environments for future generations.
3 Knowledge Points
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