Training Courses
Soil Training
The British Society of Soil Science recognises the importance of education and training quality and availability to soil science as a profession. Two key aspects of its long-term strategy are supporting and encouraging the education of soil science, and ensuring high standards of professional practice for those working with soils. To help us reach these aims we run our own training courses, under the banner of Working with Soils, and also promote courses from other providers where the content has been judged to be robust.
We have been working with a group of employers to develop a Level 7 Soil Scientist Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship is with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) for review and it is expected that it will be delivered from mid-2024 onwards.
We can also deliver training for groups so if this is of interest, please contact admin@soils.org.uk for further information.
Register Your Interest For Our 2024 Courses
Working With Soils
A Practical Introduction to Soils in Great Britain
This course covers two days and is targeted at people who want to improve their field soil description and identification skills. It includes introductory presentations, practical sessions on soil description techniques and then field visits to demonstrate a range of soil types and to hone your profile description skills.
You will be given a comprehensive course manual that details description techniques, copies of the Soil Survey Field Manual, and The Fragile Skin: Soil Landscapes f the UK, a X10 hand lens for magnifying soil features and soil recording cards for you to use into the future.
You will leave the course having gained:
1) An understanding of the nature of soils and how they develop,
2) The ability to produce a comprehensive soil profile description including the horizons (topsoil and subsoil layers) and properties of the soil profile according to the nationally recognised Field Manual.
3) An understanding of the structure of the national soil classification.
4) Knowledge of the key diagnostic topsoil and subsoil horizons types that are used to identify different soil classes.
5) Knowledge of key published, unpublished and digital information sources on UK soils.
The course will provide you with the sound foundation you need to progress to becoming a confident field soil practitioner.
LearninG outcomes
1) A better knowledge and understanding of what soil is, how it forms and the processes and factors that drive soil development
2) A better knowledge and understanding of how and why soils vary within the landscape including key diagnostic horizons and soil classes.
3) Knowledge of key information sources and their interpretation for different applications
4) The ability to describe and interpret a soil profile and/or its horizon consistently in the field including the assessment of, as a minimum, organic matter type, soil texture and stoniness, colour, structure, porosity, lime content and water regime.
Course Duration
2 Day course. More dates to be confirmed in 2025
An Introduction to Soil Classification (hybrid)
If you are a land manager, researcher or consultant working with soils in the field, and wish to make the best use of currently available soil information, this course is for you.
This two-day training course is led by a team of national experts in soil description, mapping and classification. Initially, you will gain a basic understanding of the principles and methodology behind soil classification and how it can be used to support the sustainable management of soil resources. Subsequent sessions give an overview of the three different systems used in England & Wales, in Scotland and in Northern Ireland and the two main classification system used at the international level.
The main component of the course focusses on the internationally used World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB), developed with the specific objective of enabling ‘the accommodation of national soil classification systems.’ You will learn how to recognize those soil properties that identify key diagnostic layers influencing soil behaviour, and how these are used as building blocks within the classification system.
A final session covers how to use WRB classes to interpret their ability to support different soil functions.
Duration
2 days
Date in 2025 to be confirmed
Working With Soils
Agricultural Land Classification Course
Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) has a formal role in the planning system in England and Wales and is designed to prevent the loss of our best and most versatile land in line with the principles of sustainable development.
This training course, designed and presented by agricultural land classification (ALC) experts from Natural England and the Welsh Government, offers a unique opportunity to learn about the background and technical basis of the current ALC guidelines.
By the end of the course you will learn:
- about how the ALC system has developed over time, its underlying principles and its role within the planning system – the WHAT, WHY and WHEN of ALC
- all the details of how land is graded – the HOW of ALC
- what a report should contain to be verified by the Natural England and Welsh Government statutory consultees on planning applications involving soils and agriculture.
The course will include the opportunity to work within a group to undertake an ALC grading desk exercise to apply what you have learned.
This course is designed for soil scientists who wish to extend their experience to (or refresh an existing awareness of) Agricultural Land Classification, those commissioning ALC surveys from specialists, and planners reviewing ALC reports.
2 day training course
Late 2025 [Register interest below]
