Why soil matters

Soil may not sound like the most fascinating place to start, but it’s certainly one of the most vital. Without soil health, we lose the foundation of life – from the clothes on our backs to the food on our plates.

Soil directly supports more than half of all species found on earth. It is a bustling metropolis for organisms like worms, springtails, pseudoscorpions, fungi, tardigrades, spiders, bacteria and protozoa. Other species also rely on it for critical life stages, such as beetles which hibernate as grubs underground, or plant communities growing above ground, whose roots take up soil nutrients and bind the earth together. Most terrestrial life on earth is intrinsically linked with this thin layer of soil organic matter.

A system at risk

Beyond supporting life, soil is a master regulator – filtering water, absorbing pollutants, and maintaining soil carbon stocks. However, soil is at risk. Globally, half of all topsoil has been lost to erosion in just 150 years. Britain has potentially as few as 100 harvests left due to the soil losing its fertility. Decades of crop harvests on arable land and temporary leys – combined with soil disturbance and changing practices – mean the ground is losing its structure. To ensure healthy Derbyshire habitats for future generations, we must tackle these issues head-on through evidence-based conservation.

The carbon feedback loop

Soil and the atmosphere share a delicate relationship. While industrialisation is the primary driver of climate change, soil degradation from erosion and drainage is a significant source of emissions.

Soil organic carbon is a vital building block. As it is lost from the ground, it reacts with oxygen or hydrogen to make greenhouse gases. To fight climate change, we must help our grassland soils and upland habitats retain their carbon, stay robust, and increase soil carbon sequestration.

Putting science into practice

Through our recent Species Survival Project (supported by the Species Survival Fund and Wild Solutions), we completed a full suite of surveys across 19 project sites. Alongside bird, botany, and pollinator surveys, we conducted extensive soil sampling to assess soil parameters, including soil pH, labile carbon, and recalcitrant carbon.

This is a powerful example of science in action at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. We are developing our own database to empower better conservation management across the county. Through the project, we:

• Created a county-wide database: Analysing 22 semi-natural habitats – from acid grassland and neutral grassland to wetlands and blanket bog – to understand the spatial distribution of nutrient levels.
• Empowered landowners: Delivering bespoke reports to help owners implement land management interventions that support both nature and business.
• Embedded soil health: Ensuring soil analysis and baseline monitoring are core considerations in all future habitat restoration plans.
• Developed predictive modelling: Establishing clear links between surface vegetation and the soil carbon baseline stored beneath them.

A tool for the future

The most exciting outcome is the building blocks of a new tool for ecologists. Currently, testing carbon is expensive and requires specialised skills. Our model aims to predict carbon content based on habitat type – whether woodland soils, floodplain woodland, or calcareous grassland – making this data accessible even when funding is limited.

By making soil carbon a widely accessible metric, we can move away from generic land management advice and provide tailored, cost-effective solutions for our reserves and wider Derbyshire landscapes.

Every investment in soil health provides a massive return for biodiversity. By committing to an evidence-based approach, we are creating a more resilient future and contributing to country-wide nature recovery. We are proud to take a lead on this research, and we thank the landowners whose enthusiasm allows us to make a real, measurable impact for nature and people.

Read the full Species Survival Soil Report here