Speaking for Soils
2015 has been nominated the International Year of Soils by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Council. José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General said, "The multiple roles of soils often go unnoticed. Soils don’t have a voice, and few people speak out for them. They are our silent ally in food production."
The nomination aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable soil management - and events, activities and conferences will be held worldwide throughout the year under the strapline Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life.
Soils are vital for all vegetation on earth, including our food. However, they have been misunderstood and mistreated, largely through ignorance, to the point where life on earth is under threat.
As science expands and improves, so does our knowledge of the world we inhabit. This may mean that what you thought you knew, or that piece of advice you were given five years ago is probably no longer relevant - and may even be detrimental. One of the great things about gardening is that like-minded people are usually happy to share their tips and are forthcoming with advice. The difficulty with this is that we may be self-perpetuating unhelpful myths which get passed down generation to generation.
Knowledge needs to be grown just as much as plants do. We need to embrace new information and be flexible and adaptable in our methods. It’s now time to increase our knowledge of, appreciation for, and understanding of soils. It is no longer sufficient to just do as our fathers and grandfathers did before us. As gardeners and allotmenteers we should aim to be the guardian, not the nemesis, of our soils.
Further reading:
The nomination aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable soil management - and events, activities and conferences will be held worldwide throughout the year under the strapline Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life.
Soils are vital for all vegetation on earth, including our food. However, they have been misunderstood and mistreated, largely through ignorance, to the point where life on earth is under threat.
As science expands and improves, so does our knowledge of the world we inhabit. This may mean that what you thought you knew, or that piece of advice you were given five years ago is probably no longer relevant - and may even be detrimental. One of the great things about gardening is that like-minded people are usually happy to share their tips and are forthcoming with advice. The difficulty with this is that we may be self-perpetuating unhelpful myths which get passed down generation to generation.
Knowledge needs to be grown just as much as plants do. We need to embrace new information and be flexible and adaptable in our methods. It’s now time to increase our knowledge of, appreciation for, and understanding of soils. It is no longer sufficient to just do as our fathers and grandfathers did before us. As gardeners and allotmenteers we should aim to be the guardian, not the nemesis, of our soils.
Further reading:
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