The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) is delighted to announce the latest webinar in the lunchtime series of Zoom into Soil. Zoom into Soil: Soil Compaction, hosted by BSSS’ South West Soils Discussion Group (SWSDG), will take place on Wednesday 7 July from 12.00 to 1.00pm and is free of charge for all delegates.
Zoom into Soil: Soil Compaction will feature Dr Lynda Deeks, a Research Fellow at Cranfield University, with her presentation, The effect of compaction on soil function. Dr Lynda Deeks will look at soil compaction from the perspective of how it affects soil function and will consider both negative and positive consequences of the compaction process.
We are delighted to confirm that Dr Bruce Lascelles, UK Director for Land Management and the current President of the British Society of Soil Science, will join Lynda as our second speaker with, Soil compaction in construction. In his presentation, Bruce will look at how construction activities can affect soil structure and result in compaction. Some materials we would describe as soils become surplus and can be suitable for use as engineering or landscape fill and may be compacted deliberately to ensure stability. Those soils which need to support a defined end use, be that agricultural land, landscape planting, green infrastructure (such as SUDS) or habitat creation areas, need to have characteristics suitable for that end use, and this will include a requirement for structural units to be present in some form. Where soils are being handled, in particular by large plant, the potential for soil compaction to occur is high. Reference will be made to the guidance relating to soil handling and to measures which can be incorporated where stability or erosion risk is a concern.
To book a place at the seminar visit Go To Webinar:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3207525422892463884
BSSS will host their next webinar on 4 August, with further monthly dates and registration details to be announced.
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Media Contact
Sarah Garry
Executive Officer
British Society of Soil Science
Email: exec@soils.org.uk
Notes for Editors
- The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) is an established international membership organisation and charity committed to the study of soil in its widest aspects. The society brings together those working within academia, and practitioners implementing soil science in industry. Soil scientists’ research findings are essential for investigating the feasibility of agricultural, landscaping, construction, conservation and archaeological projects. Our members are employed by both private and public sector institutions including academic universities, conservation charities, construction companies and consultancies.
- Participants can register for the July seminar via the Go To Webinar link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3207525422892463884
- Dr Lynda Deeks’ interest in soil started while undertaking her undergraduate degree in Physical Geography at the University of Plymouth, going on to also do her doctorate in the same department. After a 6 year stint at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (now the James Hutton), Lynda joined a satellite office of Cranfield University based at the former Soil Survey of England and Wales office hosted by North Wyke (now Rothamsted Research). Lynda’s research interests focus on soil physical properties, primarily soil structure and management effects on structure including soil compaction, soil water movement, contaminant transfers and soil erosion. She has been involved with a wide range of consultancy and research projects that are driving change in soil management through enhanced appreciation of the economic, environmental and social benefits that soil affords. In November 2020, Lynda officially became chair of the South West Soils Discussion Group and is looking forward to lively discussions on a diverse range of soil topics.
- Dr Bruce Lascelles is UK Director for Land Management and the current President of the British Society of Soil Science. Bruce’s background is in soil science, with a degree in Forestry and Soil Science from the University of Wales, Bangor and a Ph.D. at the same university studying the environmental history of an upland area of North Wales, bringing together an assessment of vegetation and climatic change (through pollen analysis and peat stratigraphy interpretation), soil development and human influences on the environment. Following this Bruce undertook research on various aspects of soils (particularly on soil erosion) before becoming a consultant where, for the last 24 years, he has worked on aspects of the inter-relationships between the physical environment and plant and animal communities, the impact on soils and hydrology from land use change and on surveying and mapping soil and land use types across the UK. A key area of expertise is in soil and hydrological assessments, and the development of strategies for the creation, restoration and translocation of valuable habitats. This has included work on a wide range of habitats, including lowland raised bogs, blanket bog, wet and dry heathland (both lowland and upland), marshy and chalk grassland and woodlands. Bruce has also been involved in a wide range of major infrastructure projects, assessing soil characteristics and land quality and developing soil handling strategies.
- Recordings of the previous Zoom into Soil events are available on the BSSS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHHciYt47RFZLqcQ6QGkjxg.
