Report on Session I: Soil Protection—A Need for a European Programme?

Summary

The first day of the Symposium was concerned mainly with an introduction to the soils of the CEC and an overview of the threat to their quality. Several speakers drew attention to the sensitive nature of some of the soils and examples were given of their degradation. The need for more monitoring to determine the extent of the reduction in soil quality was identified. More extensive databases for many of the problems endangering soil quality are necessary. Research is needed in some areas of soil erosion and soil pollution and there is a need to develop more adequate predictive models. Attempts should be made to foster more collaboration between institutes in the CEC and to standardise methods as much as possible.