Jay Ryan and Danni Roche from the BSSS Early Careers (EC) Committee visited a local school in Belfast with one of our loan boxes as part of the outreach programme for the Annual and Early Careers’ conferences. Here鈥檚 what they had to say about their outreach experience!

We joined the Year 6 class in the morning and started as a whole group with the jam jar experiment first to introduce the kids to soil. They were so eager to see and touch the soil samples and so we passed the jars with different soil types around the class. As the jars went round the kids were calling out about what they could see, what they knew about soil and how the different soil types differed from one another.

Whilst the soil in the jam jar experiment was settling (to understand how different soil types behave in water), we split into two groups; Jay would take one half for soil hand texturing and Danni would take the other half for the 鈥榮uper sponge鈥� experiment, and then they swapped. After the activities, we got the class back together for a 鈥榙ebrief鈥� and we came back to the jam jar experiment which had settled.

The kids were so excited to learn about soil. They had great fun getting their hands dirty with the soil from their outside garden (that we took on our way into the class), understanding how soil behaves in water and how different textures can hold different amounts of water, and they thoroughly enjoyed their soil-themed word searches at the end!

In our debrief session, we gave each child a post-it note to write one sentence about soil. Collectively, the class covered soils鈥� ability to provide clean air and water, a medium to grow food, a habitat for microorganisms and other animals, soil textures and types, and loads of facts about soil! Danni was particularly enthused with one post-it note that said 鈥榮oil fixes everything鈥� and she knew that they had done their job right that day! Jay鈥檚 highlights were hearing a student say 鈥渟oil is so cool鈥� and seeing how exciting the kids became as they learnt how important soil is. The experience was thoroughly enriching for both us EC members and the children of Year 6.

We came away feeling inspired by the excitement and interest of these young individuals in soil science (albeit slightly knackered from all the excitement and questions in the room!). We look forward to another opportunity to do this again!

Danni Roche

Early Career Committee Chair

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Aligned to our strategy and 10-year vision, our activities and initiatives have meant that our membership continues to grow, with our highest number of individual members for many years, 930 at the last count! I am incredibly proud of what we have collectively achieved during 2023, some personal highlights were presenting to governmental negotiators at both COP 28 in Dubai and SB58 in Bonn, giving evidence at the Soil Health Inquiry and hearing from UK soils policy makers during our Annual Conference.听听

Although we will publish our Annual Report in spring, which will set out all of our key achievements during the year, I would like to spotlight a few in particular:听

• The soil science community fully engaged in our successful Annual Conference, held in Belfast. It was the first in-person conference for four years and was attended by over 160 delegates. This was immediately followed by the inspirational Early Careers Conference, attended by 100 delegates. 96% of delegates rated the speakers and their content at both conferences as good or excellent, with 98% reporting that they had learnt something new as a result. It was fantastic to see you all, there was a real buzz at both events!听
• We developed an exciting new soil science qualification: the Level 7 Soil Scientist apprenticeship and we are in the final stages of gaining End Point Assessment Organisation accreditation for this to be delivered from June 2024.听
• We increased our training opportunities, delivering five Working with Soil courses to over 100 delegates. This provided important Continuing Professional Development opportunities and new skillsets for BSSS members and the wider community.听
• We shared perspectives on hot topics in soil science with a wide audience delivered through seven Zoom into Soil webinars. We were joined by just under 800 attendees in total and over 90% stated the content was good or excellent. A key legacy of these webinars is knowledge exchange and over 70% said they would use the information in their future practice. The webinars have been viewed collectively almost 5,000 times online!听
• The leadership from the Editors of our journals, Soil Use and Management and European Journal of Soil Science, has resulted in the publication of ground-breaking research and increased Impact Factors for the journals. This demonstrates the value members and external audiences place on the content within both publications.

As we look to the year ahead, we are delighted to launch our new mission and vision. Developed by our Board, and sent to members in the autumn for consultation, these documents help us to understand the direction in which we are heading and how we will know if we are making a difference.听听

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the BSSS executive team and all our members and volunteers for their enthusiasm and energy, especially to Board, Council and Committee members for their support over the last 12 months. We have delivered a bumper year and I鈥檓 looking forward to another positive and impactful year for BSSS members (and soil) in 2024!听听

Dr Jack Hannam

President

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Deborah Collins, Head of Business Events at Visit Belfast commented:

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome the 快猫短视频 conference to Belfast in December. Business events are a major part of the city鈥檚 growing tourism economy, generating around 拢40 million of direct expenditure and supporting local venues, hotels, restaurants, bars and transport providers. Belfast was recently crowned the 鈥榃orld鈥檚 best conference destination鈥� at the recent C&IT awards for the 3rd consecutive year, and delegates arriving into the city will experience the warm welcome we are famous for, as well as the buzz of Belfast in the run up to the festive period. It has been a joy to work in partnership with the society, and we wish you every success with this prestigious event.鈥� 听

To mark World Soil Day (5 December 2023), BSSS and SSSI are collaborating with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) to provide a scientific field tour for delegates at the conference, to learn about their Soil Nutrient Health Scheme that is being rolled out across Northern Ireland.

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme is a 拢37 million scheme funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and is the largest baseline soil sampling programme ever undertaken. Significant organisation and planning by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), and their sub-contractors is required to ensure the smooth roll-out and execution of the scheme. It is being rolled out on a zonal basis with all the zones completed by 2026. All category 1 farmers will be given the opportunity to join the scheme.

Pieter-Jan Sch缨n, Director -EMSD, AFBI commented:

听鈥淎FBI is embracing this eagerly anticipated flagship event which coincides with World Soil Day celebrations across the globe. We were honoured to host the Patron of the 快猫短视频, the Duke of Gloucester at AFBI Hillsborough in October in the lead up to this major event.听听 We have pride in sharing the success and emerging themes from the world leading Soil Nutrient Health Scheme with delegates during the conference programme. The event also provides a golden opportunity to learn more about the latest developments from eminent soil scientists and to gain a wider perspective from the represented policymakers in attendance.”

听

This year鈥檚 theme for World Soil Day is Soil and Water: a source of life.

Soil and water provide the foundation for food production, ecosystems, and human well-being. Healthy soils, enriched with organic matter, play a crucial role in regulating water retention and availability. Improved soil and water management improves the land’s capacity to withstand extreme climate events such as droughts, floods and sand/dust storms.

Given the increased need and pressure to address climate change and other global problems that will affect the sustainable future of our planet, World Soil Day is ever more pertinent. 95% of the food we eat comes from soil, meaning that it is essential to our health and the health of the planet. However, if our soil is not managed, maintained or used sustainably, we will not be able to produce enough food or benefit from the other functions that soil provides to society.

World soil health is under pressure from several threats including erosion, loss of soil organic carbon and biodiversity, pollution, and salinisation. Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition and is recognized as being among the most important problems at a global level for food security and sustainability. With unprecedented and growing demands for food, water and energy, there is an urgent need to address the challenges of climate change and land degradation, whilst protecting soil as a natural resource.

Soil holds the key to our planet鈥檚 past and future and is the answer to our food, water and energy security, mitigating and adapting to climate change, the safeguarding of biodiversity, and the protection of human health. We must focus on maintaining and restoring our soils, finding solutions to meeting environmental targets, achieve climate neutrality, zero pollution, sustainable food provision and a resilient and biodiverse environment. Many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without healthy soils, sustainable land use and strong policy.

Jack Hannam, President of the 快猫短视频 commented:

鈥淥ne key tool to support sustainable soil management for people and planet is action from the ground up supported by strong and effective policy. The implementation of Northern Ireland鈥檚 Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs soil heath and nutrient sampling programme and the recent UK Parliamentary Soil Health Inquiry have demonstrated positive action in this space. We will take a deeper dive in our conference in a keynote soil policy session. This is delivered by soil policy representatives from all UK nations and Ireland, giving an overview of key governmental activities in the monitoring and management of soils.鈥�

By working in collaboration, the 快猫短视频 and the Soil Science Society of Ireland, along with conference partners the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and VisitBelfast, are providing a platform to further knowledge and discourse about soils and ensure that soils stay high on the agenda.

Saoirse Tracy, Chair of the Soil Science Society of Ireland commented:

鈥淚t has been a real pleasure working with BSSS for this joint conference. It is not the first joint BSSS/SSSI event and I know it will not be the last. I am really looking forward to connecting with collaborators and colleagues in Belfast. The support BSSS gives to its Early Career members is something I had the privilege of experiencing during my own PhD and it is great to see it continue in Belfast in 2023. Thanks to the BSSS staff for all their help and support in organising the conference.鈥�

—— End ——

For more information about the 快猫短视频, contact Dominic Simms at dominicsimms@soils.org.uk

For more information about VisitBelfast (), contact Aoife McVeigh: AoifeMcVeigh@visitbelfast.com | +44 (0)28 9023 9026

For more information about the Soil Science Society of Ireland (), contact Saoirse Tracy at saoirse.tracy@ucd.ie

For more information about AFBI and the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme contact:
T: 028 90255212听听 E: snhs@afbini.gov.uk

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme enables Northern Ireland farmers to optimise crop nutrient applications, assess on-farm carbon stocks and build farm resilience.
For more information about the AFBI Soil Nutrient Health Scheme

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BSSS and SSSI Conference: Soil Management and Monitoring

Day 1:听 4 December 2023

Registration

9:00am – 10:15am

Welcome

10:15am – 10:30am

快猫短视频 and Soil Science Society of Ireland

Introduction to the Conference

10:30am – 10:45am

Brian Ervine – The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA, NI)

Keynote 1: Soil Monitoring Project in Northern Ireland

10:45am – 11:30am

Rachel Cassidy – Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)

Keynote 2: Benchmarking Soil Health across Europe

11:30am – 12:15pm

Rachel Creamer – Wageningen University

Lunch and Poster Presentation Session 1听 |听 BSSS CPD Workshop

12:15pm – 1:15pm

Soil Carbon Posters

Workshop led by Natalie Coles – BSSS

Policy Session: Soil Monitoring and Management

1:15pm – 3:20pm (inc. 45 minute Q&A)

• Rachel Boulderstone – DEFRA
• James Cooke – Welsh Government
• Brian Ervine – DAERA
• Sallie Bailey – Scottish Government
• Republic of Ireland Government Representative – TBC

Break and Poster Presentation Session 2

3:20pm – 4:00pm

Soil Health Posters

Keynote 3: A Practitioner鈥檚 View of the Development of Soil Health Policy

4:00pm – 4:45pm

John Gilliland – Agriculture Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

Summary

4:45pm – 5:00pm

快猫短视频 and Soil Science Society of Ireland

Gala Dinner and Entertainment

7:30pm – 12:00am

Crumlin Road Gaol

(Purchase separately. Details in the conference confirmation email once registered.)

Day 2:听 5 December 2023

Tours

9:30am – 12:15pm (coach for scientific tour leaves at 8:30am)

Scientific tour led by Suzanne Higgins (SSSI), and Rachel Cassidy and Alex Higgins (AFBI).

Visit field sites in Co Down, to learn about the Northern Ireland Soil Nutrient Health Scheme

City tour – DC Tours

Lunch and Poster Presentations 3听 |听 BSSS CPD Workshop

12:15pm – 12:55pm

Nutrient Management and Water Management Posters

Workshop led by Natalie Coles – BSSS

Welcome

12:55pm – 1:00pm

快猫短视频 and Soil Science Society of Ireland

Keynote 4 – TBC

1:00pm – 1:45pm听

[Delegates can choose which presentation sessions to attend.] 
[There will be 2 different sessions taking place at the same time]

Oral Presentation Session 1

1:45pm – 2:45pm (inc. Q&A)

Soil Carbon abstracts (1) – Main Room

Soil Health abstracts (1) – Breakout Room

Break and Poster Presentation Session 4

2:45pm – 3:15pm

Technology and Innovation Posters

Oral Presentation Session 2

3:15pm – 4:15pm (inc. Q&A)

Soil Health Abstracts (2) – Main Room

Nutrient Management and Water Management Abstracts – Breakout Room

Oral Presentation Session 3

4:15pm – 5:15pm (inc. Q&A)

Technology and Innovation Abstracts – Main Room

Soil Carbon Abstracts (2) – Breakout Room

Closing Remarks

5:15pm – 5:30pm

快猫短视频 and Soil Science Society of Ireland

Click on the button below to register for the conference.

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