National ground health project marks conclusion on World Soil Day
Teagasc and VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre today (December 5) celebrated the conclusion of their citizen science initiative, GroundTruth.
The project – co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and the Department of Education and Youth under the Research Ireland Discover Programme – was designed to raise public awareness of soil health and to promote simple, DIY soil‑testing methods.
World Soil Day
The final event, held on World Soil Day, brought participants and the project team together at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, for an in‑person closing event.
World Soil Day, an international initiative, is held each year on December 5 and highlights the importance of healthy soils while promoting the sustainable management of soil resources.
Participants in the GroundTruth project included schools, farmers, farmer discussion groups, community gardens and other interested citizens.
They carried out four simple assessments of their soil health and came from 24 counties.
The initiative also attracted cross‑border interest from organisations keen to use the project’s resources in similar programmes.
‘Exceeded expectations’
Reflecting on the project’s achievements, Dr Fiona Brennan, project lead, said: “The level of engagement from the public through this project far exceeded our expectations.
“It shows there is real interest among farmers and citizens to understand soil health more.
“We were delighted to see participants learn new skills, enhance their knowledge and have fun along the way.”
Soil Health Week
As well as the citizen science element, GroundTruth organised Soil Health Week in September - a week-long festival of activities across the country offering farmers, students and the wider public the latest insights, innovations, and practical guidance on soil health.
While GroundTruth officially concludes on December 31, its legacy will continue through a suite of freely available materials and resources, including the newly launched Farming for Soil Health handbook, which will support ongoing learning and practical action in soil stewardship.
‘Hugely important’
Speaking at the event, Mary Cleary, assistant agricultural inspector in the nature and land use division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said: “Soils are hugely important, delivering essential ecosystem services and forming the very foundation of our food.
“Healthy soil is a vital resource that we must understand, value and protect and education plays a key role in ensuring we can do exactly that.”
