Soil

The major share of human food and biomass needed for materials and energy is produced in the soil. The soil, as a finite geo-resource, but one which is also seriously endangered by sealing, erosion and degradation, is thus the cornerstone of the bio-economy.

With this in mind the soil, land and water work group has begun its work. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr Reinhard Hüttl, it will draw up recommendations for future research and also devise the parameters needed to ensure sustainable soil and land use. The work group is focusing initially on possible correspondence with, and contributions from, the discipline of soil sciences.  

The work group’s agenda includes the following subject areas, amongst others:

• Further development and adaptation of the discipline of soil sciences to new findings and challenges
• Adaptation of research and training structures in the area of soil, land and water management
• Development of research programmes along new lines of inquiry, e.g. climate and soil protection
• Looking at the soil sciences in relation to overcoming global challenges
• Development of ideas for an economically efficient and sustainable use of the finite resources of soil, foodstuffs and water in view of global and regional challenges.

The work group consists of BioEconomyCouncil members and outside experts from science and business.

Spokesman of the soil, land and water work group

• Prof. Dr Reinhard F. Hüttl
  President of acatech, Scientific Chairman of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Geo-Research Centre, Professor of Soil Protection and Recultivation at Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus
  

Members of the BioEconomyCouncil

• Dr Helmut Born
  Secretary General of the Association of German Farmers e.V.
• Prof. Dr Folkhard Isemeyer
  President of the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute Brunswick, Federal Research Institute of Rural Areas, Forests and Fisheries
• Prof. Dr Fritz Vahrenholt
  Chairman of RWE Innogy GmbH
• Prof. Dr Joachim von Braun
  Director, Center for Development Research  (ZEF), Bonn

Outside experts

• Dr Wolf Eckelmann
  Federal Institute of Geo-Sciences and Raw Materials
  
• Prof. Dr Hans-Georg Frede
  Institute of Landscape Ecology and Resource Management, Justus Liebig University Giessen
• Prof. Dr Kurt-Jürgen Hülsbergen
  Chair of Organic Farming and Crop Farming Systems, Technical University Munich
• Prof. Dr Franz Makeschin
  Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Technical University Dresden
• Dr Michael Quinckhardt
  Claas Agrosystems GmbH & Co KG
  
• Dr Bernd Uwe Schneider
  Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Geo-Research Centre
• Prof. Dr Ralf Seppelt
  Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig

Contact at the BioEconomyCouncil office

Dr Andrea George, academic staff member