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International Soil Day 2019







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SOIL4LIFE Webinar: JOINING FORCES FOR SOIL PROTECTION IN THE EU'S GREEN DEAL

      The webinar will take place in 5 March  - 1 0 . 3 0 - 1 2 . 3 0 ( U T C + 1 ) on the Zoom video platform. The main topic of the workshop is the achievement of a preliminary alignment of positioning among the EU environmental NGOs with respect to the priorities on soil protection, the required rules at supranational scale, and the way to make them more effective.      Click here to register for the webinar

Regenerating soil AND growing food

The land where I live has been exploited and badly damaged over many decades. The most noticeable impact is caused by the huge Eucalyptus and abundant Wattle that are overcrowding the area, dehydrating the soil, blocking the sunlight and limiting biodiversity. These plants were brought here for the vast monoculture  plantations that surround us- as a replacement for the indigenous old-grow woods when they became highly endangered due to over harvesting and deforestation. Eucalyptus, Pine and Wattle are not from this country nor region, and our local flora and fauna cannot thrive here- they create a very limited ecosystem and wreak havoc on the natural ecosystem services that our unique endemic forests provide. But, with the right tools and resources, they can become a blessing! With a chainsaw and a chipper, we are able to turn biomass into compost which we use in our indigenous tree nursery, in our food gardens and in our agroforestry systems to improve the soil. While clea...

The Crossing - honouring our soil rather than profiting from it!

 The Soil in this community garden in a field in Sussex, UK, is full of life. We know that because it’s had 8 years of care and attention helping turn it from over grazed clay pasture into rich loamy soil. The succession has been from initial double-dig, to no -dig, plenty of bio-char added and now since becoming a full blown community-led project in the last year, bio-dynamic preparations and techniques are now being used also. Meanwhile, in the surrounding 7 acres of land, those in the local community interested in animal husbandry have been able to initiate goat, sheep, pig and chicken co-ops as part of a broader regeneration land practices. This is all thanks to the land owner who recognized the growing need for deepening community bonds and producing healthier soils and thereby food, and offered the use of his land for a small membership fee.  The Crossing is an example where exchange with and honouring our soil, rather profiting from it is at the heart of this. This expr...