Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NBSoil (Nature Based Solutions for Soil Management)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-05-31
NBSOIL (Nature Based Solutions for Soil Management) is a four-year project coordinated by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (PL). Its overall objective is to design an attractive blended learning programme to enable soil advisors to implement a holistic vision of soil health through Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and collaborate effectively across different temporal and spatial scales.
NBSOIL focuses on 6 multifunctional NBS categories to develop a holistic approach to land management and soil health fully in line with the IUCN Global Standard for NBS (IUCN, 2020): organic fertilisers from locally available biowastes, cover crops, paludiculture, forest diversification, bioremediation, and blue - green infrastructure in urban and periurban areas. NBSOIL builds on previous research results and available Open Source technology to deliver the following NBSOIL thematic packs: Knowledge base, Academy, Soil Health assessment, monitoring and mapping resources, Policy Navigator, and Marketplace.
Approximately 300 participants from 8 countries (PL, AT, CH, UK, FR, NL, IT, ES) are expected to complete the full 2 years training offered in 6 languages (English, Polish, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish). The 2 years training programme will provide an immersive, interactive, flexible learning experience, through an introductory Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) followed by four advanced modules on 1. Soil and NBS, 2. Living Labs facilitation, 3. Digital tools for Soil Health monitoring and 4.Improving soil related decision making in business and policy, and a Final Project.
The NBSOIL consortium will contribute decisively to achieve the Soil Health Mission by mainstreaming NBS knowledge and advice for soil management, providing Soil Health Living Labs facilitators, making soil monitoring and mapping tech user friendly and inclusive and embedding soil care across all land management and land related decision making processes.
NBSOIL focuses on 6 multifunctional NBS categories to develop a holistic approach to land management and soil health fully in line with the IUCN Global Standard for NBS (IUCN, 2020): organic fertilisers from locally available biowastes, cover crops, paludiculture, forest diversification, bioremediation, and blue - green infrastructure in urban and periurban areas. NBSOIL builds on previous research results and available Open Source technology to deliver the following NBSOIL thematic packs: Knowledge base, Academy, Soil Health assessment, monitoring and mapping resources, Policy Navigator, and Marketplace.
Approximately 300 participants from 8 countries (PL, AT, CH, UK, FR, NL, IT, ES) are expected to complete the full 2 years training offered in 6 languages (English, Polish, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish). The 2 years training programme will provide an immersive, interactive, flexible learning experience, through an introductory Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) followed by four advanced modules on 1. Soil and NBS, 2. Living Labs facilitation, 3. Digital tools for Soil Health monitoring and 4.Improving soil related decision making in business and policy, and a Final Project.
The NBSOIL consortium will contribute decisively to achieve the Soil Health Mission by mainstreaming NBS knowledge and advice for soil management, providing Soil Health Living Labs facilitators, making soil monitoring and mapping tech user friendly and inclusive and embedding soil care across all land management and land related decision making processes.
NBSOIL project ambition is to develop training program for soil advisors who would facilitate improved soil management across land use types and sectors. Within first 18 months of the project, substantial effort was dedicted to prototyping the Soil Academy. The activities were started with exploration of existing knowledge resources to develop a 6-hour MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) to raise soil literacy and engage new and existing soil advisers. The Academy concept and content was developed through the co-creation process. The Academy co-creation workshops, separate for each Academy module, involved a group of 50 experts who contributed to pre-design of module content. The overall Academy structure have been developed to consist with 4 modules (Module 1 – Soil and nature based solutions, Module 2 – Facilitating soil health Living Labs, Module 3 – Digital tools for soil health monitoring and mapping, Module 4 - Improving soil-related decision making in business and policy) and 3 levels in each of the module. Learning content for Module 1 has been developed and transferred into Moodle platform. The Academy launch webinar was scheduled for June 6, 2024 as one of the project milestones.
Most of other activities supported the Soil Academy in accordance with the adopted work concept in the NBSOIL project. The important steps were integration and provision of initial versions of knowledge base on NBS and approaches for modelling soil parameters. The test sites across partner countries, representing wide range of land use types and NBS tested are used to utilise the existing and produce new data through new measurements to better understand and visualise the knowledge on the NBS effects on soil health. A first version of a soil health index tool based on the single parameters has been developed. The major effort was also dedicated to developing a first version of the Soil Sensing Handbook. Soil advice business models of six countries have been analysed and a draft of Soil business case framework has been developed. The key achievement was the initial version of the Policy Navigator and Briefs, providing a comprehensive overview of policy instruments that influence soil health at the European level.
Most of other activities supported the Soil Academy in accordance with the adopted work concept in the NBSOIL project. The important steps were integration and provision of initial versions of knowledge base on NBS and approaches for modelling soil parameters. The test sites across partner countries, representing wide range of land use types and NBS tested are used to utilise the existing and produce new data through new measurements to better understand and visualise the knowledge on the NBS effects on soil health. A first version of a soil health index tool based on the single parameters has been developed. The major effort was also dedicated to developing a first version of the Soil Sensing Handbook. Soil advice business models of six countries have been analysed and a draft of Soil business case framework has been developed. The key achievement was the initial version of the Policy Navigator and Briefs, providing a comprehensive overview of policy instruments that influence soil health at the European level.
NBSOIL has the ambition to contribute to achieving Soil Mission objectives through scientific developments and its impacts in societal and economic fields. The results that go beyond the state of the art are also decisive for the project impact. NBSOIL relies on producing new and integrating existing knowledge on NBS effects for soil health, innovative soil health monitoring, using digotal tools in soil and NBS testing, developing soil advice business cases, facilitating improved soil management across land use types.
Regarding mainstreaming NBS advice in soil management NBSOIL scientific results are included in the project’s Knowledge base and the Soil and NBS handbook. The Knowledge base initial version, is a portfolio of NBS effects for soil health. Soil and NBS handbook is a first set of 19 nature-based practices for different ecosystems. For each practice contribution to IUCN NBS criteria is evaluated to enable better understanding of benefits from their application. Soil Sensing handbook (initial version delivered in M18) is a compilation of scientific and practical knowledge on the use of sensing in monitoring of soil health and effects of NBS implementation.
The learning module 2 of the Soil Academy is designed in a way to provide the participants the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate implementation of Living Labs and Lighthouses in their work; for example understanding what they are, how to implement them, or how to assess and share results collected within a lighthouse. Provision of soil monitoring knowledge using digital and user frendly techniques is a key element of assumed project impact. Capacity building and upskilling of soil advisors with appropriate tools will support wider adoption of NBS and soil regeneration by all users across all land use types. NBSOIL follows Soil Mission ambition to address soil health in all types of land management. Therefore NBSOIL focuses on NBS categories beneficial for agricultural, forest, industrial and urban lands which aligns with the Soil Mission objectives and goes beyond todays practice. Since any land related decision making must obey the existing regulations, the key tool for this strategy is the Policy Navigator and Briefs.
Regarding mainstreaming NBS advice in soil management NBSOIL scientific results are included in the project’s Knowledge base and the Soil and NBS handbook. The Knowledge base initial version, is a portfolio of NBS effects for soil health. Soil and NBS handbook is a first set of 19 nature-based practices for different ecosystems. For each practice contribution to IUCN NBS criteria is evaluated to enable better understanding of benefits from their application. Soil Sensing handbook (initial version delivered in M18) is a compilation of scientific and practical knowledge on the use of sensing in monitoring of soil health and effects of NBS implementation.
The learning module 2 of the Soil Academy is designed in a way to provide the participants the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate implementation of Living Labs and Lighthouses in their work; for example understanding what they are, how to implement them, or how to assess and share results collected within a lighthouse. Provision of soil monitoring knowledge using digital and user frendly techniques is a key element of assumed project impact. Capacity building and upskilling of soil advisors with appropriate tools will support wider adoption of NBS and soil regeneration by all users across all land use types. NBSOIL follows Soil Mission ambition to address soil health in all types of land management. Therefore NBSOIL focuses on NBS categories beneficial for agricultural, forest, industrial and urban lands which aligns with the Soil Mission objectives and goes beyond todays practice. Since any land related decision making must obey the existing regulations, the key tool for this strategy is the Policy Navigator and Briefs.