The 22nd Congress is being organised by the British Society of Soil Science on behalf of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

The Congress theme, ‘Soil Science – crossing boundaries, changing society’ focuses on the link between soil and society, with sessions covering soil systems, soil processes, soil management and how we interact with and use soils around the world.

There will be opportunities for specialist workshops and discussion sessions across a wide range of soil disciplines. The core programme is supported by tours and a cultural and arts programme for delegates and the wider public to explore our diverse environment and culture.

At a time of global concern for our planet and its growing population, managing our soils sustainably has never been as important. 90% of our food comes from soil, as does all of our timber and other fibre. Soil, and the ecosystems it supports, have a huge role in mitigating against climate change, is a vast reservoir of biodiversity, plays a significant role in flood management and contains key evidence of past civilisations.

Our understanding of the importance of these functions is developing rapidly and the Congress provides the ideal setting to discover the international state of the art in these critical global issues and an opportunity to connect across all who work with and rely on soils.