What makes the soil so important to Starker Forests? It is our basic resource. Without soil, water, and sunshine the plants in our forest wouldn't grow. Soil is one of the factors that determine how well the trees grow. The soil our trees grow in comes from two different types of rock, sandstone and basalt. In general, the sandstone soils occur closer to the coast and the basaltic soils are found on the Willamette Valley side of the Coast Range. Different soil types support different plant communities.

Soil is full of microbes, insects, bacteria, and several fungi called mycorrhiza. Both bacteria and mycorrhiza convert nutrients that are deposited from the atmosphere especially during winter storms when nutrients are churned from the ocean and into the atmosphere and are carried in during rainfall events. Bacteria help break down needles and branches, also known as organic matter, into useable nutrients for plants. Mycorrhiza attach themselves to tree roots and help facilitate the uptake and extraction of nutrients from bedrock.

By preventing soil compaction during logging the soil has more porosity which then enables rainfall infiltration into the soil to making it a good environment for both healthy bacteria and mycorrhizal communities.

Small clay particles called colloids are also a site in the soil where nutrients are held. Unfortunately clay colloids are also the first soil particles to leave if soil erosion occurs. With proper ditch construction and maintenance on our roads and by maintaining a healthy amount of organic matter in our soil we are able to minimize soil erosion.