SOILBOOK, the soil profile network

An important objective of our work is raising awareness for soil-related issues. Besides training and education, we constantly develop tools and methods to illustrate the enormous meaning of soils for humanity and the planet’s ecosystems. For example, we provide spectacular and unique soil-insights with the project “Soil 3D“. Another initiative, the graphical recording of a seminar about the interaction of soil fertility and climate change with Hans Unterfrauner and Robert Six is available as JPG for interested parties. Furthermore, the issues of soil sampling, nutrients, phosphorus and buffering systems have been visually prepared in an innovative way and printed on beer coasters.

With SOILBOOK, another interactive tool developed by TB Unterfrauner GmbH is available for everyone (free-of charge), who would like to join us in the mission of raising awareness for the variety and endangered status of SOIL. Via SOILBOOK, registered users are able to upload new chapters to the digital book of soils by documenting soil profiles anytime and everywhere as well as to browse through the contributions of other users.

Motivation

Did you know the 5th of December is world soil day? Probably not, since soil has no powerful lobby which would ensure to transmit soil-related issues effectively to the public. Quite the contrary, the awareness for and the understanding of the value of this finite resource soil is actually very low.
According to information from the international Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 24 billion tons of fertile topsoil are lost annually. On the other hand, the formation of 1 centimetre of fertile soil can take between 100 und 300 years!

Soil is crucial for the existence of mankind and is providing various essential functions:

  • Production function (food, animal feed)
  • Filter- buffer- transformation function
  • Habitat function (biological diversity)
  • Active flood protection and active groundwater protection
  • Climate protection (carbon sink)

Against this background, the team of the TB Unterfrauner GmbH developed the idea of a digital, continuously growing and non-commercial “book of soil” in the year 2019. Everybody is encouraged to contribute. The main goal of the platform is to raise attention and awareness for soil-related issues and to promote the huge variety of soils. In spring of 2020, this idea was realized on www.soilbook.info. SOILBOOK is available for everyone and completely free of charge. You can contribute by adding content or simply browse through the existing soil database.

Let’s raise awareness for soils and become soil lobbyists!