42-Month Meeting of the SOILGUARD Project in Málaga

42-Month Meeting of the SOILGUARD Project in Málaga

Recently, the SOILGUARD consortium gathered in Málaga for our biannual meeting, marking the 42nd month of progress in our Horizon Europe journey. The event was hosted by the remarkable team at the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation in their vibrant hometown. We are deeply grateful to IUCN for their warm hospitality and excellent management of the event.

The meeting was an inspiring opportunity to align on our mission to safeguard soil biodiversity and discuss our next steps. Here are some key highlights:

Key Discussions and Achievements:

Advancing the SOILGUARDIANS App: Progress on this innovative tool was shared, with discussions led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). We explored ways to make its predictive features even more accessible and user-friendly for farmers and other end-users.

Preparing for Upcoming Events: Representatives from Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Leitat, European Landowners Organisation (ELO), among other partners, detailed plans for future events aimed at sharing SOILGUARD’s findings with the wider community.

Cutting-edge Research on Soil Biodiversity: New scientific insights and publications were presented by teams from ETH Zürich and the University of Alicante (UA). These findings continue to enrich our understanding of soil biodiversity and its vital role in ecosystem health.

Policy Briefs and Factsheets: We worked in improving documents designed to support the Soil Monitoring Law and other key policies. These materials, developed with input from the IUCN European Regional Office and the European Landowners’ Organization, aim to bridge the gap between research and policy action.

As the SOILGUARD project approaches its conclusion, we are thrilled to announce plans for a final joint event with sibling projects. This collaborative initiative aims to reinforce our collective mission of protecting soil biodiversity and ensuring sustainable soil health for future generations.

The upcoming months promise exciting developments, and we can’t wait to share them with you! Follow us for updates on: New tools and apps, upcoming conferences and workshops, the latest in soil biodiversity research.

Let’s continue working together towards a sustainable future for our soils!