British Society of Soil Science

EJSS Celebrates 75th Anniversary at BSSS Conference We were delighted to mark the 75th Anniversary of the European Journal of Soil Science at the BSSS Conference with an informative session and a ceremonial cake (pictured, with Prof. Jenni Dungait and Prof. Paul Hallett .) In the session, the Editor-in-Chief, Jenni Dungait, spoke about the key achievements of EJSS and also highlighted the future direction of the journal. Across its editorial board, EJSS boasts 84 associate editors across 21 countries and 71 institutions. The journal looks to publish research articles, reviews, and Russell Reviews to name but a few, that feature an aspect of soil science with international relevance and provides novel insights into soil processes. It has been another busy year for EJSS in its 75th year, achieving an Impact Factor of 4 and is now ranked 13/49. To celebrate the anniversary, EJSS have commissioned a series of prestigious invited reviews and the first is 'Soil carbon stewardship: thinking in circles' by Prof. Henry Janzen. This Russell Review presents a compelling argument for a radical change in the way we think about and talk about the value that soils and soil carbon have for us. READ HERE: https://ow.ly/hbhs50Uv6Wh

BSSS Outstanding Society Contribution Award Winner - Bruce Lascelles The Outstanding Society Contribution Award (OSCA) recognises the valuable work undertaken by all of our volunteers, whilst highlighting the outstanding contribution provided by one or more members. This year’s award was presented during the BSSS Annual Conference to Dr Bruce Lascelles. Bruce has long-standing involvement with BSSS. He joined the Institute of Professional Soil scientists (IPSS) Council in 2006 and was Chair of IPSS from 2011 to 2012. He supported the successful merger of IPSS and BSSS in 2012 which helped to greatly expand the society, unifying the academic and industry members to make it a more effective organisation. Within the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS), Bruce has held several senior leadership roles, including President Elect (2019-2020), President (2021-2022), and Past President (2023-2024). The most significant highlight was Bruce leading the successful bid in 2014 into host the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS22). This brought global recognition to the British Society of Soil Science. In these roles Bruce demonstrated his exceptional leadership, international collaboration, and strategic, forward-thinking approach. He has been an exceptional champion for the Society, embedding soil in many varied sectors and has and bought the Society to the global stage and has recently been elected as the new President-Elect of IUSS - International Union of Soil Sciences. https://lnkd.in/efT9rk-4

Safeguard Our Soil For The Future Do you want to raise the profile and underline the integrity of your organisation? There is no better time to join the soil science community and support the professional development of your employees. Become a Corporate Member of the British Society of Soil Science and demonstrate to your staff and customers that you care about soil, and build a collaborative partnership to help safeguard our soil for the future. https://lnkd.in/eiyS3TUV

Hear from our incoming Presidential Team at our next webinar in January The British Society of Soil Science is pleased to announce the next Zoom into Soil webinar will take place on Wednesday 15 January from 12:00 - 1:00pm (UK time) and is free of charge to register. Join Prof. Paul Hallett and Dr. Lizzie Sagoo as they discuss what's on the horizon for BSSS. This will be a chance for you to hear from and ask questions to the new BSSS Presidential team. REGISTER HERE: https://ow.ly/ujat50UsryJ In this webinar, Paul Hallett and Lizzie Sagoo will speak on their plans for the British Society of Soil Science in their roles on the presidential team. Paul Hallett is Professor in Soil Physics at the University of Aberdeen and Lizzie Sagoo is a Principal Soil Scientist at ADAS. They start their roles at an exciting time for UK soil science, when it features highly on government agendas, supported by flourishing science to support the protection of one of earth’s most precious resources. Paul Hallett will first speak on his ambitions and plans as BSSS President over the next 2 years. He will build on the strong foundation laid by previous Presidents, strengthening our community and helping to drive impactful research. Paul will discuss the current state of UK soil science and how the BSSS can play a vital role in addressing pressing global challenges. He'll explore opportunities to enhance collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, and discuss strategies to support early career scientists. Lizzie Sagoo enters as President-Elect with long-standing roles on BSSS Council and representing the society at events like Groundswell and Open Farm Sunday. She will introduce her professional experience and how it will contribute to the development of the BSSS, particularly in terms of education, outreach and career development of practicing soil scientists. By working collaboratively with our members, BSSS can strengthen the UK soil science community, advance research, and influence policy decisions. The new BSSS presidential team is excited to work with you all to shape the future of soil science in the UK. The webinar includes one hour BASIS and NRoSO CPD points. We look forward to welcoming you on the webinar. REGISTER HERE: https://lnkd.in/e8cAwpAp School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen #soil #adas #soils #bsss #soilscience #britishsocietyofsoilscience

BSSS Conference - crossing the boundaries between art and science A new theme that the conference explored was 'Soil, Social Science and Culture' and as part of this, we were delighted to feature an Art and Culture room at the venue for delegates to engage with. This featured paint demos, artworks, films, ceramics and 'Singing Compost'. Many thanks to all the exhibitors and contributors including: Daro Montag, Phil Lambert, Paul Granjon, Anna Colin, Ros Gray and Jo Pearl. If you are interested in seeing more, you can see some of their their work at the upcoming Soil Exhibition at Somerset House in London from 23 January - https://ow.ly/jMTt50UqRUK

BSSS Annual Conference - showcasing new developments in soil science Thank you to everyone who presented their work either via an oral or poster presentation at our Annual Conference in Cardiff last week. It was fantastic to see and hear about all the new and innovative research going on in institutions in the UK and further afield. We had 55 posters and 25 oral presentations in total. If you missed any of them or were not able to attend the conference, check out our online abstract book where you can find all the abstracts, links to some of the posters, and more details about the conference. ABSTRACT BOOK: https://lnkd.in/eBr4_KAM

#Soil is the foundation of life. 🌍 It regulates climate🌦️, enables plant growth🌱, filters water💧, harbors immense biodiversity🐛. and more... Soil's ability to cycle nutrients and store water is crucial for healthy hashtag #ecosystems. Check the infographic to discover more👇 via Soil Life

Really great speaking abt Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Env Land Mmt schemes as a public finance mechanism to catalyse soil health. A brilliant side event at UN Convention to Combat Desertification #COP16Riyadh with many perspectives and organisations. Key insights: 👩🏾🌾working with farmer networks on farm plans that benefit the business and soil 📈data, tech & information systems can transform how farmers access knowledge and monitor progress 🌳Real examples that are scalable and demonstrate the business case for regenerative systems and soil 💵 long term financing needed including social enterprises 🌿public financing for actions as a catalyst for change, integrated with private finance for outcomes CIFOR-ICRAF Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) Esther Penunia Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) Save Soil WWF Future Economy Forum #cop16riyadh #soil #soilhealth #copsoil

Are you interested in supporting the BSSS Council? We are looking for members to support the Society's Council committee which meet on a quarterly basis. We are recruiting for an Ordinary Council Member, Chair of the Southeast Soil Discussion Group (SEESOIL), and Chair of the Midlands Soil Discussion Group (MSDG). To apply for any of these roles, please visit our website for more details. https://lnkd.in/etGsD9D

Today British Society of Soil Science president Jacqueline Hannam acted as an expert speaker around financing Soil Health in conjunction with partners Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) CIFOR-ICRAF @4per1000 initiative UN Climate Change IICA @FutureEconomyForum on a diverse panel, focusing on systemic solutions and investment strategies for soil health and land restoration. Great to hear about exisiting initiatives aimed to support both G20 and emerging economies, however, more is needed in terms of public policy support and access to key research in the sector. Issues surrounding population growth also needs to be considered particularly in low-middle income countries, if we are going to have effective solutions that underpin regenerative economies.