The Society was delighted to support the launch of the Society for the Environment’s (SocEnv) Soils and Stones Report. Incoming Chair of our Professional Practice Committee, Eleanor Reed who had input into the report, highlighted the need for clear guidance and in some cases, regulation, to support sustainable soil management.
Eleanor presented at the event on 26 April alongside Society Fellow Bridget Emmett (representing uksoils), Soils and Stones Task Group Chair Martin Ballard (Willmott Dixon) and the Institute of Environmental Sciences.
Eleanor introduced the Society’s strategy, perspectives on the report’s aims and calls to action.
“There is the ever-increasing understanding that soils are essential for the delivery of our terrestrial ecosystem services, and that sustainable development and management delivered through professional, competent practitioners is a critical component to protecting this finite resource. This scientific understanding, communication, engagement and professional competence are key aspects to our strategy.”
“The topics of the recently published BSSS guidance notes highlights that it is not just soil scientists who work with soil, but also ecologists, landscape architects, forest managers, planners, construction workers; environmental generalists, all of whom need a good understanding of soils and how they influence the wider environment.
This launch event is the perfect example of the wide range of professions, who all understand that we need to protect our soils. We need to cut across all the interdisciplinary areas across the various organisations and bring them together to help unify the data, establish best practice, communicate those key messages and provide a new coherent way of thinking of soils. And that is why we are all here today, communicating, engaging and celebrating this new collaborative report.”
The Society will continue to work closely with SocEnv to ensure momentum is maintained.
