[Terrapreta] Consultation on soil strategy in England

[Brian davey]

Thanks to people who responded to a request for help about bio-char 
experiments that I made several weeks ago. Small scale trials are under 
preparation now in Nottingham and initial links have been established with 
Henry Doubleday Research Association, Sunseed (in Spain and Africa) and 
Projects in India to explore the possibility of setting up participative 
research projects re soil fertility and bio-char from next year on.

Here is something that people in England may wish to respond to with a mention 
of bio-char/TP. It is a text about a UK Government consultation on soils. 
Note the suggestion that halting the decline in soil carbon is part of the 
strategy. Brian Davey

England - Government consults on the draft soil strategy

The draft Strategy sets out the pressures on soils and the priority work
areas identified on the basis of these pressures. It explains current policy
measures which are in place to achieve sustainable soil management and then
sets out in broad terms what it is that the Government hope to achieve and
some initial steps. The deadline for responses is 23 June 2008.

The draft Strategy has the following key objectives:

§  Ensure that measures for the protection of soil functions in respect of
agricultural and forest soils are effective, targeted and proportionate,
take into account future pressures including our changing climate and
minimise adverse impacts on air, water, biodiversity and greenhouse gas
emissions.

§  Reduce the rate of soil organic matter decline and protect habitats based
on organic soils, such as peat bogs, to maintain our carbon stores (to
mitigate climate change) and soil quality.

§  Establish the degree of risk from putting organic materials on soils and
the consequences for human, animal and plant health and the environment, and
seek to keep these risks at an acceptable level.

§  Ensure that, in accordance with the principle of sustainable development,
the construction industry and planning authorities take account of the need
to protect soil resources, and ensure soils in the built environment are
able to fulfil as many as possible of their functions, especially storing,
transporting and filtering water.


The following areas will be at the heart of the Soil Strategy: Sustainable
soil management in the agriculture and forestry sector

§  Sustainable soil management in the built environment

§  Halting the decline of soil carbon

§  Sustainable soil management in the built environment

§  Protection of soil during the recycling of organic materials to land


Copies of the consultation document (0.8 MB) can be collected from Defra's
website at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/soilstrategy/

Or we can email you a copy.