Soil Protection and Soil Consumption

Soil protection

Soil as a not renewable resource is an indispensable basis for life. It must be protected against negative impacts for sustainable use for humans, animals and plants. Conceptual background for soil protection therefore is the conservation and reconstruction of the capability of soils as a carrier of natural functions

The Saxon State Agency of Environment and Geology is concerned with the countrywide protection of the soil and its functions independent from its actual use. To perform the task of preventive and sustainable soil protection an assessment of possible impacts of all planned projects has to be done. Soil has to be protected against sealing and covering with buildings from e.g. industry, trade, traffic, housing, recreation and open pit mining.

A successful representation of soil matters in the required consideration processes needs an objective and well founded assessment.

Soil Protection and Soil Consumption

Soil, as a subject of protection, is still a subordinate issue in the regional and urban planning. This is in contradiction to the fact, that soil protection is most effective when soil consumption is decreasing. Construction measures are generating the most extensive losses of soil by sealing, excavation, filling and dissection of land, entailing further negative consequences for the natural environment.

The Saxon State Agency of Environment and Geology is meeting this challenge mainly by the generation of strategies and documents, e.g.:

• Information on the environmental monitoring by satellite data (2003)
• Information on the mapping and assessment of soil sealing (2005)
• Saxon soil assessment instrument (2005)
• Guideline soil protection for planning and licensing procedures in the Free State of Saxony (2001)
• Materials and modules for the design of area management systems (2007)