Soil Tunnel Unveiled at Blount County Fair

By: Mark Butler, Dry Creek Watershed Coordinator, Blount County SWCD, Oneonta, AL

The Blount County Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) Soil Tunnel was unveiled as part of the Blount County SWCD fair booth. Many children and some adults enjoyed crawling through the tunnel and learning about soil functions.

The Soil Tunnel is three-feet-wide by six-feet-long by three-feet-tall. It was built through the joint efforts of SWCD and NRCS employees.

The inside and outside panels were painted in soil-like colors and then the inside panels were hand painted with pictures of animals, burrows, tree roots, a water well, a septic tank, a water table and a gravel pit. Also plastic insects and animals were attached to the inside panels for a more three-dimensional feel. This is a creative way to provide environmental education for children and adults. The children can see what the world looks like below the ground surface by crawling through the tunnel with the aid of a flashlight.

The Blount County SWCD/NRCS is planning to use the Soil Tunnel, along with the EnviroScape at other events and classrooms throughout the county to promote and educate about soil conservation.

Funding for the material for the Soil Tunnel was made possible through educational funds from the Dry Creek Watershed 319 Project.

For more information about scheduling an event, contact the Oneonta office staff at 415 5th Ave East Oneonta, AL 35121 or 205-274-2363 extension 3.

The soil tunnel featured animals.

Items found in the soil were highlighted.

Roots and the ecosystem visible.

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