BIOREM joins the Soil Health Week

Successful Soil Health Week boosted by the University of Burgos

The Soil Health Week, held from 1 to 5 December, concluded with a highly positive outcome and strong participation from institutions, experts, students, and local stakeholders. Over five days, the University of Burgos—through the ICCRAM research center and the Soil Science (Edaphology) area—delivered a comprehensive programme of activities aimed at raising awareness, sharing knowledge, and fostering innovative solutions for soil restoration and conservation. The week was carried out within the framework of several European projects focused on soil health, including BIOREM. 

The week officially opened on Monday, 1 December, at the Higher Polytechnic School on the Milanera campus. Carlos Rad, professor in the Soil Science area, launched the programme with the talk “Target 2050: Healthy Soils in the European Union” This was followed by a guest lecture by Nacho Martín Andrés from the company Wilderway, who focused on accelerating rewilding and ecosystem restoration across Europe through carbon and nature credits. The session, moderated by Rocío Barros, Scientific Director of ICCRAM, attracted a large audience from the university community and was accredited with 0.1 academic credits.

Tuesday was dedicated to learning about soil regeneration initiatives in the region. A team from the University of Burgos, united by shared research interests in soil health, visited Granja Zael, a regenerative livestock project working to restore agricultural soils and enhance biodiversity.

On Wednesday, the focus shifted to science outreach for younger audiences. ICCRAM and the Soil Science area delivered workshops at MM Concepcionistas School, introducing primary and secondary students to the importance of caring for soil as a vital resource for life.

Thursday featured the co-creation workshop “Restoring Ayoluengo: Nature-Based Solutions for the Post-Oil Landscape,” held at the Oil Museum in Sargentes de la Lora. Organised by DIH-LEAF, UBUCOMP, and ICCRAM within the European pHYBi project, the session brought together 40 participants from diverse professional backgrounds. The workshop was highly successful, enabling the exchange of a wide range of ideas and experiences focused on developing bio-based solutions for the restoration of degraded landscapes.

The week concluded on Friday, 5 December—World Soil Day—with a major institutional milestone: the signing of the European Union Mission’s Manifesto for Soil Health. The event brought together the University of Burgos and the Provincial Council of Burgos—including SODEBUR—with the support of the Burgos City Council, reinforcing local and regional commitment to soil protection and regeneration.

During the signing ceremony, Verónica Calderón, Vice-Rector for Research, Knowledge Transfer and Innovation at the University of Burgos, highlighted the importance of coordination among public administrations in advancing these initiatives, in which research and knowledge transfer play a central role. She noted that the University of Burgos currently manages between €3 and €4 million in European, national, and regional research projects—such as TRIBIOME, BIOREM, and PHY2SHINE—all focused on soil recovery and ecosystem decontamination.

These research efforts will soon be further strengthened by the launch of a new international master’s programme on soil health, “IM4SOILHEALTH.” Rocío Barros, Scientific Director of ICCRAM and researcher in Soil Science, emphasized that this initiative “not only strengthens our scientific and technical capacities, but also generates a direct impact on the economic and social development of the region.” In this context, she delivered a brief address on the importance of the agreement and the care of soils, noting that ongoing projects extend beyond soil itself to areas such as biodiversity, agricultural protection, and sustainable fertilisation, among others.

With strong participation and a rich programme of educational, outreach, and institutional activities, this year’s Soil Health Week stands out as a benchmark initiative for promoting the knowledge and actions needed to ensure a sustainable future through the protection of our ecosystems.