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Soil Health Research Landscape Tool Launches With More Than 1,000 References

The Soil Health Research Landscape tool may be accessed at www.soilhealthinstitute.org.

Soil Health Research Landscape Tool Launches With More Than 1,000 References

The Soil Health Research Landscape tool may be accessed at www.soilhealthinstitute.org.

Published 01-03-17

Submitted by The Soil Health Institute

New Soil Health Research Landscape tool gives farmers, researchers, CSR leaders and policy makers comprehensive, searchable information system.

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) today announced the release of the Soil Health Research Landscape tool. The online library and search engine will be a resource for agricultural and environmental scientists, industry leaders, agricultural producers, conservation policy makers, agricultural journalists, and others interested in soil health.

The Soil Health Research Landscape tool may be accessed at www.soilhealthinstitute.org.

“In addition to the most up-to-date information on soil health and its relationship to soil amendments, cover crops, erosion control, and other agricultural and land management practices, the Soil Health Research Landscape tool will include data, metadata, methods descriptions, standards, and related economic impacts for soil scientists, researchers, and analysts. The information will be available publicly through the Institute’s website. The Institute will assess no fees for using the Research Landscape tool,” said Steven Shafer, SHI Chief Scientific Officer.  Shafer added that the initial library includes more than 1,000 scientific research papers, research progress reports, and other kinds of publications and references. Building the tool’s library of soil health papers and information will be an ongoing, open-ended effort by the Institute and its partners.

“The Soil Health Research Landscape tool allows users to connect soil health problems, management actions, and desired outcomes with research addressing their particular situation, whether it be from a specific production system, climatic zone, or geographic region,” explained Wayne Honeycutt, SHI President and Chief Executive Officer. “Situations in which no research literature exists indicate gaps that merit future consideration for soil health research.  Because enhancing soil health can increase productivity, water quality, carbon sequestration, and drought resilience, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this release of the Soil Health Research Landscape tool is an important step in providing a comprehensive, searchable, and publicly-available information system for achieving both agricultural and environmental benefits,” Honeycutt added.    

With its release, the Institute acknowledges key contributions from its partners. “Datu Research, LLC, of Durham, North Carolina, worked closely with us to design the web-based search engine and assemble the initial holdings in the online library.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service contributed their collection of more than 300 important references on soil health, and numerous individuals contributed their expertise in the design and review stages,” Shafer said. “This is the kind of public-private partnership that demonstrates what the Soil Health Institute strives for,” he added.

Shafer also emphasized that ongoing partnership with the soil health community will be important to keeping the Landscape current and relevant. “The web page includes a way for public users to recommend references to be added to the online library. This is one of the ways the community will help the Landscape holdings grow in volume and value.”

The Institute requests that individuals who use data from the Soil Health Research Landscape tool cite the Institute’s website as their source and link to the data when possible.

For further information, visit www.soilhealthinstitute.org.

About the Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute's (www.soilhealthinstitute.org) mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. An evolution of the Soil Renaissance, an initiative established in 2013 by the Noble Foundation and Farm Foundation to advance soil health and make it the cornerstone of land use management decisions, the Soil Health Institute serves as the primary resource for soil health information.

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The Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute

About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute is a global non-profit with a mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. We bring together leaders in soil health science and the industry to help farmers, ranchers, and landowners adopt soil health systems that build drought resilience, stabilize yield, and benefit their bottom line.

The Institute’s team of scientists, holding doctorates in various soil science and related disciplines, has developed highly effective soil health targets and standardized measurements to quantify progress at achieving regenerative and sustainable agricultural systems, and leads the cutting-edge fields of carbon sequestration and decoding the soil microbiome.

Healthy soils are the foundation for rejuvenating our land. Together, we can create a secure future for all, mitigate the effects of climate change, and help agriculture and organizations meet production and environmental goals at scale.

Visit soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedInTwitter, and Facebook.

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