Soil as natural capital

Position Paper | Year 2021
Soil as natural capital
KVAB Thinkers' Report 2020
Class of Technical Sciences
Healthy soils are a natural capital, essential for the production of food and the conservation of biodiversity, and therefore also for our well-being. In 2020 the Academy organised a Thinkers’ Programme addressing the challenges and opportunities for preserving the natural soil capital of Flanders. Two international experts followed the talks and discussions held by various actors in Flanders and reported their findings in this work. Those two experts are Richard Bardgett, a British soil ecologist, and Joke van Wensem, advisor for the Environment Ministry in the Netherlands. Together they have shown that there has been a considerable loss of natural soil capital in Flanders. This has occurred because of intensive farming, soil sealing (paving) by buildings and infrastructure, climate change and pollution. In Flanders there is no integrated action to monitor and report on soil health. This work contains a wealth of information about Flemish soils and ends with some practical recommendations for government and for anyone involved in the conservation of this natural capital – which, ultimately, means all of us.

Available documents

Author

  • Richard Bardgett
  • Joke van Wensem

Author

  • Joke van Wensem
  • Richard Bardgett