What is soil? 

Soil is a living system with a mixture of biological, chemical and physical components. These components include minerals (45%), water (25%), gases (25%), organic matter (5%), living organisms such as microbes, bacteria and invertebrates (0.25%) 

• It’s alive with biology: One spoonful of healthy soil can contain 1 billion bacteria & other organisms 

• It’s porous: Pore spaces in soil absorb air and water, and deliver nutrients to plants 

• It’s nutrient rich: Nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients are vital for plant nutrition 

Soil can take hundreds or thousands of years to form but can be lost in a fraction of that time. The biological system is complex and revolves around a relationship between microbes and fungi, with plants. Living roots feed the soil microbes sugars, which in turn break down minerals and organic matter for plant uptake. Fungal hyphae (like plant roots, but for fungi) produce glomalin which helps to improve soil stability and carbon sequestration. Glomalin (30% to 40% carbon itself) penetrates organic matter binding carbon to particles and the improved soil structure keeps stored carbon from escaping. Spaces and pores in the soil control the balance of oxygen and water available to plant roots and soil organisms.  

Healthy soils and climate change: 

Soil organic matter stores more carbon than any other land system. Healthy soils actively sequester carbon and help to reduce the amount in the atmosphere that is being released through human activity. Healthy soil structure allows water to infiltrate and increases the capacity of the soil to hold water during times of heavy rainfall or flooding. This is a form of Natural Flood Management (NFM), which is a tool to help reduce flood risk to people and communities through protecting, restoring and mimicking natural processes of water. The three key principles are: 

• Slowing the flow by increasing resistance in water pathways 

• Storing water by creating and maintaining capacity in the landscape for water  

• Increasing infiltration by improving soil structure  

The ability of soils to hold onto more water also helps crops and livestock during times of low rainfall. Drought is another impact of climate change that is becoming more regular.  

Agriculture and soils: 

Due to agricultural intensification, our soils have become depleted, but soil is the most precious resource in the farming system. Regenerative farming is a method of producing food whilst also looking after the environment and soil health. The aim is to preserve and restore soil health through encouraging minimal soil disturbance, protecting the surface and maintaining living roots throughout the year. This method of farming will protect and nurture our soils for the years to come and develop a more integrated way of farming with nature that benefits all.