The Living Soils Workshop offers an immersive experience where participants explore the dynamic and complex world of soils. Designed to deepen understanding of soil health and its critical role in sustaining ecosystems and agriculture, this hands-on workshop provides insights into the biological, chemical, and physical processes that make soils.
Through 30 cards, this collaborative tool allows participants to acquire fundamental knowledge on soils - the life they contain and the cycles in which they are key -, to understand the impacts of agricultural practices and to open a fertile discussion on the actions to be taken to engage society towards a more sustainable management of soils.
1. Soil Systems: students delve into the key components of soil ecosystems and the vital processes in which they participate. They will analyze the various elements of the soil system, mapping out how each component interacts and contributes to maintaining soil health and ecosystem function.
2.Agricultural Impact: students critically examine a range of agricultural practices and their effects on both soil health and the environment. By tracing the historical evolution of these practices, they will gain insights into how they have facilitated food production, while also understanding the long-term consequences these methods have had on soil sustainability.
3. Collaborative Role-Playing & Solution Building:: in this final phase, students engage in a role-playing discussion, assuming the perspectives of different societal stakeholders, such as farmers, policymakers, citizens, and private companies. Using the knowledge gained in the previous phases, they will collaborate to propose actionable solutions aimed at preserving soil balance and promoting sustainable land management for the future.
- Soil formation and processes
- Soil ecosystem
- Soil biodiversity
- Soil functions
- Human impacts on soil
- Agricultural practices and their impacts on soil health
- Soil conservation
- Sustainable management of soils
- Community and policy initiatives
By the end of the workshop, students will have a solid understanding of soil ecosystems, including the key components and processes that sustain soil health. They will gain insights into the impact of various agricultural practices on the environment, both historically and in modern times. Through role-playing and collaborative discussions, participants will develop critical thinking and decision-making skills, learning to propose solutions for soil conservation from diverse societal perspectives. The workshop will also raise awareness of sustainable practices essential for maintaining soil balance and promoting environmental sustainability.
Learn more about The Living Soils Workshop here.