Soil Health Benchmarks

Start the year checking out this wonderful resource, a must-read for soil health enthusiasts and all our project stakeholders!

This season brings the cozy magic of Christmas trees 🌲into our homes. For a short period, we have the privilege to enjoy a small piece of the forest in our living rooms. But amidst the festive sparkle, we invite you to look beyond the tradition and reflect on what truly grounds and sustains us: the soil beneath our feet. In this post, we’ve flipped the perspective, literally! We’ve turned the tree upside down and adorned its roots, the hidden tree pillars deep within the soil. Roots rely on healthy soil for stability, nutrients, and water, forming the foundation for every tree’s growth and resilience. As we wrap up a fulfilling year at BENCHMARKS, we’re taking a well-deserved break to recharge and reflect. Wishing everyone a very joyful festive season filled with warmth, reflection, and gratitude! 🌟 📷Original picture credits: Pinus Sylvestris, Kutschera, L.; Lichtenegger, E., "Wurzelatlas mitteleuropäischer Waldbäume und Sträucher". - Graz, Stuttgart : Leopold Stocker Verlag, 2002 (2. Aufl. 2013). - 604 p. #SoilHealth #BENCHMARKS #Christmas #Tree #Festive #Roots

As part BENCHMARKS, Soil Blitz events organised by our partner Earthwatch Europe are empowering communities and stakeholders across agricultural, urban, and forested areas to advance research and land management practices that protect soil health. These hands-on citizen science events: 🧪 Provide a snapshot of regional soil health through on-the-ground activities. 🌱 Raise awareness about the vital role of healthy soils in supporting biodiversity, improving water retention, and regulating climate. 🤝 Foster collaboration among citizens, scientists, and local organizations. In partnership with Wij.Land, EarthWatch Europe delivered rhe last Soil Blitz for BENCHMARKS at the De Vooruitgang farm, in Aarlanderveen, Netherlands, where 25 local farmes assessed soil health in an agricultural landscape. Swipe through the carousel to see the highlights! Stay tuned for updates on upcoming Soil Blitz events and other citizen science activities as part of BENCHMARKS! 📷Photo credits: EarthWatch Europe  #SoilBlitz #BENCHMARKS #SoilHealth #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #CommunityEngagement

🌱 Want to become a Soil Steward? 🌱 Are you passionate about improving soil health and building local awareness around this crucial topic? HuMUS has developed a comprehensive Soil Steward Training Programme to meet the growing demand for soil health education. And now, we’re thrilled to announce that the programme is available in 6 languages: English, Italian, French, Bulgarian, German, and Spanish! 🧑🏫 How to access the training: 1️⃣ Visit the HuMUS webpage -> Resources -> Trainings 2️⃣ Sign up on the Capacyt platform. 3️⃣ Select the HuMUS training programme. 4️⃣ Choose your preferred language by navigating to the "OTHER LANGUAGES" folder in each module. This resource is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge and advocacy for soil health, empowering communities to take action. Start your journey today and make a difference for our soils! 🌍 #SoilStewardship #SoilHealth #HuMUSProject #Sustainability #Education Anci Toscana Agroecology Europe Association Università di Scienze Gastronomiche Libera Università di Bolzano

📢 Call for Stakeholders! The UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe invites stakeholders to collaborate in the EU-funded SOILSCAPE project, part of the Horizon Europe “A Soil Deal for Europe” Mission. About SOILSCAPE: This 4-year initiative aims to promote soil health by 2030 through creative and collaborative approaches. It brings together experts from Cultural and Creative Industries, the scientific community, the arts, decision-making, and civil society to integrate soil sciences with art-based methods to raise awareness about soil preservation. Why Join? As a stakeholder, you will: ✔️ Contribute expertise to build a Soil Literacy movement in Europe. ✔️ Connect with UNESCO networks, including World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, Creative Cities, and more. ✔️ Stay informed about conferences, workshops, festivals, and Open Calls for third-party financial support. 💡 If you are experienced or involved in soil conservation, protection, education, or cultural and art-based initiatives, consider applying to contribute your insight and advice. 📩 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/dxBdTbRG For more information, contact Regional.Bureau-sc@unesco.org. #SoilHealth #HorizonEurope #SOILSCAPE #ArtForSoil #CreativeCollaboration #UNESCO

🔴 Live at the WEBINAR on #Soil Monitoring 🤔 If you haven't signed up, do it now and you will get the link to the slides and recording! ✍ https://lnkd.in/daEFgPCM 🌍 The webinar brings together representatives from key projects — SOILL-Startup, AI 4 Soil Health, Project Marvic, Soil Health Benchmarks, and MRV4SOC project — illustrating how these projects are advancing soil health through innovation, technology, and research. The event showcases the valuable contributions of the Mission Soil projects, focussing on how their efforts align with the global call to action. Thanks to Paolo Di Lonardo (Soil Health Benchmarks, Wageningen University & Research), Martin Thorsøe (Project Marvic, Department of Agroecology - Aarhus University), Arwyn Jones (EU Science, Research and Innovation), Giulia Campodonico (SOILL-Startup & ENoLL (European Network of Living Labs), Dimitra Palantza (MRV4SOC project & Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)), David Robinson (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) & AI 4 Soil Health) #SoilMonitoring #SoilHealth

🚨 Join us today at this very pertinent webinar to hear from soil health experts working on EU Mission Soil, including our very own BENCHMARKS Project Manager Paolo Di Lonardo, from Wageningen University & Research. 🕛 Starting at 10! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dH4wJwhN

🚨Glossary alert! Public forests represent a shared resource that benefits everyone. When well managed, they can contribute to ecological health, local economies, and community well-being.🌳 What do we mean by forest public ownership? #Glossary #Forest #SoilHealth #Benchmarks

Dear soil health enthusiasts, we’ve officially moved our X account presence to Bluesky! We are making this move because we highly value a healthy and safe place to interact with our scientific community and stakeholders, share our project results and learn about other initiatives caring for soil health. We’re excited about the opportunities this move brings for deeper engagement and collaboration. Follow us and join the conversation to achieve healthier soils! 👉 Follow us on Bluesky: @shbenchmarks.bsky.social https://lnkd.in/edVnzDSc Stay connected, and let’s continue growing together in this new space!

🌍 Happy World Soil Day 2024! 🌱 Every year on December 5 we celebrate the precious resource that lies beneath us: soil! This year’s #WorldSoilDay theme "Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage" highlights the vital role of soil data in supporting sustainable management and food security.  At BENCHMARKS we care about soil data because we care about soil health. Soil data is essential to monitor the health of our soils and to manage them sustainably. But collecting and using data often lacks consistency and presents multiple challenges. We aim to reduce these challenges by creating a multi-scale and multi-user focused monitoring framework that is transparent, harmonised and cost-effective. Discover why soil data matters and what we can do collect and use soil data for effective soil health protection.🤲🌱 #WorldSoilDay #SoilHealth #BENCHMARKS [The information in this post has been adapted from the official World Soil Day campaign by FAO and the Global Soil Partnership.]