Consultation on protecting our soils

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Consultation on protecting our soils

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has today published a consultation on protecting England’s soils for the future through a new Soil Strategy.

Our soils are essential for supporting food production, supporting habitats and biodiversity, and providing a platform for built development.

Soils also contain huge amounts of carbon and there is some evidence to suggest that carbon levels are declining in some soils, resulting in the release of CO2 into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. One of the key aims of the draft Strategy is to halt the loss of soil carbon.

Other aims of the Strategy are to support food and fibre production, especially in the light of the need for climate change adaptation; to support planners and the construction industry to ensure that soils are considered in built developments; and to ensure that soil protection is considered when encouraging the recycling of organic materials such as compost and manures to land.

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Marine, Landscape & Rural Affairs, said:

“Soil is a vital natural resource and the protection of our soils is essential for the future of our ecosystems, for farming and food production, and for reducing our CO2 emissions. We are seeking views on how we will continue to protect this vital resource in years to come.”

The draft Soil Strategy and consultation can be viewed at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/soilstrategy/index.htm .

Notes to Editors
Defra published a Soil Action Plan in 2004 and the new draft Soil Strategy builds on the work achieved through this.
Defra is working closely with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who are developing their own soils policy.

oldish chris

Re: Consultation on protecting our soils

Behemoth wrote:

Soils also contain huge amounts of carbon and there is some evidence to suggest that carbon levels are declining in some soils, resulting in the release of CO2 into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. One of the key aims of the draft Strategy is to halt the loss of soil carbon.

SOME evidence? Peat based soils, e.g. my allotment in W. Lancs, the whole of the Fens, as soon as they start to dry and are cultivated oxidise like mad. My plot is about four feet below the level of a nearby metalled road. An even better example can be found in the Flag Fen Iron Age Museum near Peterborough which shows that several feet of peat have gone since the they started to drain the fens.

Rob R

The result of 'rape & pillage' agriculture, unfortunately Sad

When soil custodians realise that C is more important than N we might stop it, but all too many don't yet. The Humberhead peatlands look decimated from 150 years of drainage Sad

but they're still the largest lowland bog in Britain, once the carbon's depleted though it just turns into marginal scrubland.

Behemoth

Highland peat loss is an issue as well. Several trig points have had to be reset in the penninesa as they were eventually undermined by peat loss. One of the big challenges to halt this erosion and even to restablish it.

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