Dr Dan Evans, Senior Lecturer in Soil Formation, was a key expert voice in a recent Parliamentary roundtable event organised by the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) in Westminster. Also in attendance was Cranfield University’s Chancellor, Baroness Brown of Cambridge.
Chaired by the BSSS President, Professor Paul Hallett, the roundtable focused on the long-term protection of soils in the UK. Despite underpinning vital areas like food security, climate resilience, water management and sustainable development, soils lack a coherent framework to ensure their long-term protection, monitoring and accountability.
Cranfield University has been collecting data on soil since the 1970s and has world-leading research expertise in soil quality, crop growth, environmental informatics and ecosystems. Earlier this year, the University launched the LandIS Soils Data Portal , providing free and open access to over fifty years of soils data across England and Wales.
Dr Evans holds a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, combining geology, chemistry, and microbiology to reveal the hidden processes as rock becomes soil. He works regularly with policymakers, chairing a Steering Committee of UK Government agencies including Defra, Natural England, Environment Agency, and Welsh Government for the development of the LandIS Soils Data Portal. He also represents soil science across Europe as President-Elect of Soil Science for the European Geosciences Union and is contributing author to the IPCC Seventh Assessment Cycle report.
The Westminster event brought together high-profile contributors and experts to explore the case for statutory protection for soils, how existing policy can be built upon and examined how international approaches could inform a practical, consistent framework in the UK.
The main topics covered in the roundtable were:
- The Current Policy Landscape: Gaps in Soil Protection and Governance
- Soil Data and Monitoring: The Evidence Base and Key Gaps
- International Perspectives: Australia’s Approach to Soil Protection
- International perspectives: EU Soil Monitoring Law
Dr Dan Evans said: “When Parliament asks whether our soils are improving, we should be able to give a clear, evidenced answer. Understanding how soils are changing requires us to connect existing data with new measurements into a lasting record.”
“Events like this that bring together so many highly qualified and passionate people are an essential step on the road to securing the long-term protections that soil needs in the UK.
“Soil security is a key aspect to our national security. Soils should benefit from legal protection comparable to that afforded to water and air, supported by a statutory framework that ensures their long-term protection, monitoring and accountability. This would provide a stronger foundation for sustainable farming, food security, climate resilience and responsible land-use decisions.”
You can find a comprehensive roundup of the day and a full list of attendees on the BSSS website .
