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About SPADES

Soils underpin ecosystems and human well-being, providing essential services such as carbon sequestration, water filtration and support for biodiversity. However, these vital systems are in crisis due to human activities and planning practices that fail to prioritise soil health. Recognising the urgent need for change, Spatial Planning and Design with Soil (SPADES) strives to promote soil-inclusive planning strategies that combat soil degradation and enhance ecosystem resilience.

SPADES brings together 17 pilot sites in 10 EU Member States, covering different land use contexts such as urban, peri-urban and rural areas. By fostering collaboration between researchers, policy makers and local practitioners, SPADES focuses on the development of practical tools for soil management in spatial planning. With its innovative, integrative approach, SPADES bridges gaps between soil science and spatial planning, ensuring that strategies are scalable and impactful.

We envision a Europe where planning and soil management work in harmony to promote resilient ecosystems, sustainable urbanisation and a higher quality of life, and we pursue this by integrating soil health into spatial planning through innovative tools, knowledge sharing and capacity building to ensure a sustainable future for all.

SPADES combines cutting-edge soil science with spatial planning practices to promote sustainable development. Using a systemic and co-creative approach, SPADES works with local authorities, practitioners and researchers to develop soil-inclusive strategies that enhance ecosystem resilience and societal well-being.

 

Key aspects of this approach include:

  •  Integrative planning frameworks: Integrating soil health into green, blue and grey infrastructure to ensure that solutions address both environmental and societal needs.
  • Learning by doing: Testing strategies in 17 pilot sites across Europe to refine approaches in urban, peri-urban and rural areas.
  • Co-creation and inclusivity: Actively involving diverse stakeholders, including local communities, policy makers and technical experts, to ensure relevance and equity.

 

This multi-pronged methodology ensures that SPADES creates adaptable, inclusive and effective strategies for land-conscious spatial planning.

SPADES undertakes a range of activities to promote soil health and integrate it into planning processes. These efforts focus on tool development, capacity building and promoting cross-sectoral collaboration. Core activities include:

  • Create a comprehensive suite of tools, including a SPADES Navigator and manuals, to guide policy makers and practitioners in integrating soil health into planning frameworks.
  • Capacity building through the organisation of workshops, training sessions and educational programmes to increase soil literacy among a wide range of stakeholders, from urban planners to community leaders, at both local and regional scales. Visit UrbanByNature to learn more.
  • Testing soil-inclusive spatial planning strategies in 17 different pilots across Europe to ensure adaptability to different environments, planning challenges and socio-economic conditions.
  • Working with decision-makers to align SPADES results with EU policy frameworks, including the European Green Deal and the EU Soil Strategy for 2030.

SPADES aims to have a transformative impact on soil health, spatial planning and ecosystem resilience. By embedding soil-inclusive strategies into decision-making processes, the project aims to improve the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

 

Environmental impact: 

  • Increased soil biodiversity and functionality, improving ecosystem services such as water filtration and carbon sequestration.
  • Increased resilience of urban and rural areas to climate change and land degradation.

 

Social and economic benefits:

  • New opportunities for green jobs and innovation in sustainable development.
  • Improved quality of life for communities through access to healthy ecosystems and green spaces.

 

Policy and governance outcomes:

  • Scalable tools, such as the SPADES Navigator, enabling effective integration of soil health into planning frameworks.
  • Long-term integration of soil-friendly practices into local, national and EU policies and spatial planning practices.

SPADES is a Mission Soil project, funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 101146122). Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor REA can be held responsible for them.