Soil tips for residents
A healthy soil means more life, which in turn means greater biodiversity and improved climate resilience. In the soil, microbes, fungi, worms, insects and other soil animals work closely together to break down organic material into nutrients that plants and trees can take up again. It is the ultimate form of recycling. Healthy soil provides food for insects, birds, amphibians and other animals. And we also need fertile ground to grow food. Furthermore, healthy soil helps to reduce flooding and heat stress in the city. With a few simple actions, you can make a big difference for the soil life in your neighbourhood. See the tips opposite. Here you can read more about why a healthy soil is important for everybody.
Soil tips for designers / urban planners
Landscape architects, urban planners and designers of public space have an important role and responsibility with respect to the soil. Their design choices can cause soil degradation or, conversely, have a regenerating effect on soil ecology. A soil-conscious approach to urban green is crucial for greening public spaces. Healthy soil with a high soil biodiversity and intact fungal networks makes a considerable difference to the health and size of trees, shrubs and other plants. Also, the water-retaining and water-retarding function of healthy soil is valuable for healthy green and for climate adaptation. Urban soil is particularly vulnerable due to the large number of activities that will need to take place in the public space over the coming decades to construct (subterranean) infrastructure for the energy transition, digitalisation, new mobility, climate adaptation and standard replacement tasks (for example, drains and sewers). Consequently, deliberate design choices need to be made to protect soil life.
Soil tips for project managers
How projects are carried out in the public space during urban development, or even on roofs, can have a big impact on existing and future soil life. As a project team, you might need to consider learning more about what constitutes a healthy soil and which measures contribute to this in a positive or negative way. Including an ecologist or soil expert as part of the project team or as an adviser to the team could be valuable in this regard. The most important considerations in realising the project are minimising earthworks and soil compaction. Undisturbed soil contains a rich network of fungal threads, plant roots and a wide range of microorganisms that are interlinked with both. Therefore, moving soil has a huge impact on the ecology and health of the soil. Healthy soil has a soil structure in which oxygen and water are available for plants, fungi and soil organisms. Soil compaction has a suffocating effect on soil life and should be limited as much as possible during projects.
Soil tips for grounds maintenance managers
Healthy plants and trees depend on a healthy soil. Managers of (public) green work daily with the soil and can exert a considerable impact on its health. A shift is taking place in grounds maintenance services from a focus on ‘clean’ (ornamental) greenery, where dead leaves and tree trunks are removed as quickly as possible and the grass mowed as short as possible, to ecological grounds maintenance that supports biodiversity and nature experiences. In this soil-conscious approach, organic material (leaves, twigs, and tree trunks) are not viewed as waste, but as raw material to nurture soil life and increase biodiversity. Furthermore, grounds maintenance managers with their considerable knowledge of plants and daily observations are an important source of knowledge for policymakers, designers and project managers.
Soil tips for policymakers
Policy for soil life is crucial for healthy urban soil. Policymakers can support designers, project managers and green managers by developing policy, guidelines and manuals for a healthy soil with greater biodiversity and improved soil structure. They should work towards integrated public space and greenery policy, for which soil is automatically included in policy, legislation and working methods. To achieve this, cooperation should be sought with ecologists and independent soil experts so as to include the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and insights about the soil. Soil-friendly policy also needs to be communicated to residents and other stakeholders, such as utility suppliers, to ensure sufficient support and awareness.
Credits:
City Deal Openbare ruimte
Onder Het Maaiveld
Gemeente Amsterdam
Gemeente Rotterdam
Naturalis Biodivercity Center