The International Year of Soils

April 1, 2015

The Soil Science Society of America is coordinating with the Global Soil Partnership and other organizations around the world to celebrate the 2015 International Year of Soils and raise awareness and promote the sustainability of our limited soil resources.

We all have a valuable role in communicating vital information on soils, a life sustaining natural resource. Therefore, we want to provide you with resources to learn about soils and help us tell the story of soils! Help us promote #IYS on social media by sharing our posts from Facebook and Twitter!

Soils are a finite natural resource and are nonrenewable on a human time scale.  Soils are the foundation for food, animal feed, fuel and natural fiber production, the supply of clean water, nutrient cycling and a range of ecosystem functions.  The area of fertile soils covering the world's surface is limited and increasingly subject to degradation, poor management and loss to urbanization.  Increased awareness of the life-supporting functions of soil is called for if this trend is to be reversed and so enable the levels of food production necessary to meet the demands of population levels predicted for 2050.

Monthly Themes

SSSA developed 12 monthly themes that reflect the diverse value of soils to our natural environment and society. Each month has information on the theme, a lesson plan, and other outreach activities. Click on the month below to see the activities created, links to activities we found from other websites (links that are currently live are blue). Be sure to check again in the coming months, as we will continue to add materials throughout 2015!

January: Soils Sustain Life

February: Soils Support Urban Life

March: Soils Support Agriculture

April: Soils Clean and Capture Water

May: Soils Support Buildings/Infrastructure

June: Soils Support Recreation

July: Soils are Living

August: Soils Support Health

September: Soils Protect the Natural Environment

October: Soils and the Products We Use

November: Soils and Climate

December: Soils, Culture, and People