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good soil, good future - Healthy soil regenerates resources

Topic outline

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    General

  • Welcome!

    Welcome to the course “good soil, good future”!

    In this course, you’ll discover why healthy soil is important and learn about the main features that affect it—what they are, how we check them, and simple ways to improve them. Whether you care about farming, gardening, or sustainability, you’ll find easy-to-understand, practical tips.

    • How you will learn

      The course guides you through three parts: a basic introduction to soil health, a main section on soil properties, and a bonus real-life example from a project in Bavaria. It is recommended to complete them in this order, as each section builds on the knowledge from the previous one.

       

    • Learning Objectives and Requirements

      In this course, you will learn:

      • the downward spiral of degraded soil and its negative effects on agriculture, water and human well-being,
      • the success spiral of healthy soil and its positive effects on agriculture, water and human well-being,
      • the key physical, chemical, and biological properties that influence soil fertility and health,
      • how to explain why each of these properties is important for soil health,
      • the relationships between the various soil properties and their impact on fertility,
      • how to assess the condition of these properties in your own soil,
      • which practical measures you can implement to improve soil health.

      No prior knowledge is required to complete this course. Special materials or equipment are only necessary if you choose to carry out the soil tests yourself as a practical application of what you’ve learned. These are described in each methodology section.

    • Lecturers
      Carla Orozco García
      Carla Orozco García
      Jana Maria-Magdalena Rose
      Jana Maria-Magdalena Rose

  • Understanding Soil Health: From Degradation to Regeneration

    Soil health shows how well the soil supports plants, animals, and the environment. Healthy soil is full of life—it stores water and nutrients and helps plants grow strong. Check out the video below to learn more about why soil health matters!

    Understanding Soil Health: From Degradation to Regeneration by Carla Orozco García, Jana Rose and Lakshya Kathayat (CC BY-SA)

     

     

     

  • Soil Properties

    Soil has many properties that tell us how healthy it is. These are grouped into physical, chemical, and biological properties. Click on the sections below to explore the most important ones and discover what they reveal about the soil. Once you’ve completed all sections, you’ll unlock a practical guide to apply what you’ve learned in improving soil properties and enhancing soil health.

    Soil Overview by Dorothee Schielein, Anne Gebhardt, Jana Rose and Carla Orozco García (CC BY-SA)

  • Real Life Example: TWS OJ Cooperation & Research Project

    Agriculture accounts for approximately 70% of global water withdrawals (FAO, n.d.), making it the largest user of freshwater resources. Reliable access to water is fundamental to the productivity and sustainability of agricultural systems. In drinking water catchment areas and water protection zones, effective cooperation between the agriculture and water management sectors is essential. To strengthen this partnership, the Cooperation Trinkwasserschutz Oberpfälzer Jura (Drinking Water Protection Cooperation of the Upper Palatinate Karst Region - TWS OJ) was established. Since January 2021, this initiative has brought together 11 water suppliers who jointly work towards securing drinking water quality in the region. To visit the TWS OJ website (opens in an external window) click here.

    In this section, you’ll learn how the TWS OJ cooperation is improving soil health and protecting drinking water in the Upper Palatinate Jura region of Southeast Germany. You will also explore the related research project supporting this work and learn how soil tests are carried out directly in the field.

    FAO. (n.d.). Agriculture: Cause and victim of water pollution, but change is possible. Land and Water. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved July 9, 2025, from https://www.fao.org/land-water/news-archive/news-detail/en/c/1032702/

  • Summary and Conclusion

    🥳 Congratulations! You’ve completed the "good soil, good future" course!

    In this course, you discovered why soil health is essential—not only for growing healthy plants, but also for safeguarding our drinking water sources and protecting human health. You explored the key physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, and learned how they can be measured and improved through the principles of regenerative agriculture.

    You also examined a real-life example from Bavaria, where water suppliers and farmers are collaborating to enhance soil health and protect valuable local water resources. In addition, you saw how various soil tests are conducted directly in the field.

    To wrap up, you can create your own summary of the course by selecting the correct statements below.

    Course Interactive Summary by Carla Orozco García (CC BY-SA)