This article has been written by Saskia Visser, with contributions from Janjo de Haan, Jennie van der Kolk, Dorothee Tol-Leenders and Rudi Hessel. We expect a great deal from our soils. And, as we have previously explained, rightly so: soils that are treated well and managed properly can make an…
As a student, I did a six-month internship at TropenBos. During my internship I lived in the rainforest in British Guiana. There I slept in a hammock and washed myself at the river that ran along the camp. I enjoyed the sight of the enormous diversity in the forest. It…
I live in the Netherlands, with over 17 million inhabitants it is a densely populated country, in which we managed to provide a use for each and every piece of land. Land is extremely valuable; the lease prices for the agricultural land are by far the highest in Europe, and…
The soil has a vital role to play in our future circular economy. Agricultural soils attract a lot of attention of policy makers. Maintaining the productive function of the soil and its capacity to store organic matter and water are key issues. Soil biology is also in the spotlight. A…
The soil underwent an emancipation process. For years the question has been: ‘How will we adjust the soil in such a way that we are able to carry out whatever we want in every spot?’ At last, it cropped up recently that it is about which soil we are actually…
Just a question: when you entered your house, when you ate your fries, when you drank a glass of water, or whilst driving your car, did you ever wonder what provides the basic services that are required for all these daily activities? No? It’s the soil. The soil is a…