SSSA Celebrating 2015 International Year of Soils
Source Soil Science Society of America
The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils. In celebration, the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is coordinating a series of activities throughout 2015 to educate the public about the importance of soil as a natural resource.
SSSA’s 6,000+ members are encouraged to interact with the public with a series of 12 monthly messages throughout the year. To have an SSSA member to speak to a specific (schools, community groups, gardening groups, etc.) please fill out the Ask a Scientist form. SSSA members have created materials for educators to teach to a K-12 audience. All materials can be found at www.soils.org/iys starting on January 1, 2015 and will be updated throughout the year.
The twelve monthly themes developed by SSSA are:
- January – Soils sustain life
- February – Soils support urban life
- March – Soils support agriculture
- April – Soils clean and capture water
- May – Soils support buildings/infrastructure
- June – Soils support recreation
- July – Soils are living
- August – Soils support health
- September – Soils protect the natural environment
- October – Soils and products we use
- November – Soil and climate
- December – Soils, Culture, and People
As part of their celebration of IYS, SSSA is developing a series of 12 two-minute educational videos. They are working in conjunction with Jim Toomey, who has worked with the UN in the past. He also authors the environmental cartoon, Sherman’s Lagoon. January’s Soils Sustain Life video will be shown during the UN’s International Year of Soils celebration on December 5, 2014 in New York City.
Source: Soil Science Society of America
