Whether you’re a gardener, allotment holder, farmer, or simply a nature lover, building healthy soil by following the principles of nature is a crucial foundation for increasing biodiversity and producing healthy food.
As the videos below show, the magic of soil is that it connects the food we eat, with our health and our climate…
There’s Life in our Soil
As shown in the picture below, the science behind healthy soil is that microbes, like bacteria and fungi, provide essential nutrients and biological processes that help plants to grow.
Where human activity can deplete the soil of these valuable microbes, using natural techniques like “no dig” and planting in organic soils helps to restore the symbiotic relationship between plants and the environment, which stimulates growth.
Nature is Speaking
Edward Norton is The Soil to give nature a voice in this short video from Conservation International.
Soil Solutions to Climate Problems
A powerful solution to the climate crisis can be found right beneath our feet—in the soil. By harnessing the immense power of photosynthesis, we can convert atmospheric carbon, a problem, into soil carbon, a solution.
From growing 95% of our food, to creating freshwater sources, to balancing our climate, to being the foundation of all life on land… Soil drives our optimism for what is possible!
Emerging science proves that shifting to regenerative forms of agriculture such as agroecology, agroforestry, cover-cropping, holistic grazing and permaculture will allow us to store excess carbon safely in the ground, helping to restore the health of the soil and thus helping to slow down our Earth’s changing climate.
Keys To Building a Healthy Soil
Gabe Brown explains the 5 keys to building healthy soil, saying: “We can improve soil health much faster than we used to think possible. It’s just a matter of following the principles of nature.”
These principles can be applied by gardeners, allotment holders, farmers, and nature lovers everywhere to help us create a more sustainable future where increasing biodiversity and producing healthy food are central to regenerating our planet.
