Rural and Peri-urban
Flanders
Access to public farmland for land-based farm transitions
SPADES
Spatial Planning And DEsign with Soil
Soil health is a cornerstone of sustainable ecosystems, yet it is under unprecedented pressure from climate change, urbanisation and land degradation. The EU-funded Horizon Europe SPADES project will address these challenges by integrating soil health into spatial planning and design. Our mission is clear: to support Europe's transition to healthy soils by empowering policy makers, practitioners and communities. By promoting soil literacy and creating adaptable tools, SPADES is putting soil health is at the heart of planning for the benefit of current and future generations.
Pilots
To the SPADES research 17 pilots form the core of cocreation to learn, develop and test transferrable results and useful recommendations. Three categories of pilots are representative of the range of spatial planning and soil challenges in Europe.
FACTS & FIGURES
60% of EU Soils...
... are classified as unhealthy. SPADES is working with 17 pilots to leverage the power of spatial planning to reverse this trend.
Within a human life time...
...soil is a non-renewable resource. When we invest in soil, we invest in our own well-being.
80% of terrestrial carbon...
...is captured by soil. SPADES bridges the gap between planners, soil scientists, and policy makers to combat climate change.
