[ History of soil surveys in Sabah ] [ On acid igneous rocks ] [ On alluvium ] [ On basic igneous rocks ] [ On intermediate igneous rocks ] [ On limestone ] [ On mudstone/sandstone ] [ On ultrabasic igneous rocks ]
History of soil surveys in Sabah
Note:
All information on soils were from the Land Resource Study 20 series of books
(Volumes 1 to 5), published by the Land Resources Division, Ministry of Overseas
Development , UK.
1953
Systematic
soil surveys of Sabah began in 1953 when T R Paton and A W Allen were appointed
to the Department of Agriculture (DOA). The first surveys were those in the
Ranau, Lohan and Kundasang areas and the Keningau Plain, the main purpose being
to assess the areas for expansion of rice cultivation. The soils were classified
as soil series according to parent materials and stages of weathering.
1953-64
Between
1953 and 1959, a broad reconnaissance survey was carried out in the Semporna
Peninsula. From 1962 until 1964, the United Nations undertook the natural
resource surveys in the Labuk Valley. At this time, reconnaissance soil surveys
were carried out in the east of the Lahad Datu District and in the northern parts
of the Labuk and Sugut Districts by the DOA. The soils
were classified according tot he soil units described in the Soil Map of the
World legend. Great Soil Groups of this system were divided into soil families
by differences in parent materials. In 1964, a soil map of Sabah was published
at a scale of 1:50,000 with supporting text.
1964-67
Semi-detailed
surveys were undertaken between 1964 and 1967 by DOA mainly on proposed
settlement schemes. Further surveys began in 1967 (under the Colombo Plan) when
work in the Tuaran and Kota Belud Districts, and parts of the Kudat District
were surveyed. At the same time, B D Acres and C J Folland of the Land Resources
Division (LRD) were seconded to the Sabah Department of Agriculture, under
Colombo Plan Technical Assistance, to do a reconnaissance survey of the Sandakan
and Kinabatangan Districts. The LRD of the Ministry of Overseas Development
(United Kingdom) assisted developing countries in mapping, investigating and
assessing land resources. They also made recommendations on the use of these
resources for the development of agriculture, livestock husbandry and forestry.
1969-72
In
1969, an official request was received from Sabah for the LRD to take over responsibility
for the regional soil survey programme and to incorporate it into a soil survey
and land capability classification project for the whole state. The
reconnaissance soil survey for the whole state was completed in 1972.
