ECHO’s citizen science initiatives for soil literacy take off

Citizen science projects offer an effective framework for increasing participants’ knowledge in specific scientific fields. They also play a crucial role in reshaping participants’ perspectives on the scientific process and attitudes towards science and environmental issues.

To ensure a significant increase in literacy, citizen science initiatives require meticulous design that extends beyond merely involving participants in scientific studies. This involves facilitating interactions with scientists and providing high-quality educational materials (Bonney et al., 2009).

Soil-focused citizen science initiatives only appeared after 2010. Their importance grew due to a broader societal context and, particularly in Europe, due to the increased attention to soil issues in public policy agendas (Panagos, 2022; Gascuel et al., 2023). They are supported by the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ of Horizon Europe, which is one of the five Research and Innovation Missions to bring concrete solutions in response to major societal challenges, meeting global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Consequently, using citizen science methods to improve soil literacy represents a relatively novel but well-established approach, highlighted by projects like ECHO.

ECHO stands out as the first citizen science project to focus on addressing the eight soil health indicators outlined in the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe,” therefore significantly advancing soil literacy.

This meticulously designed initiative not only prioritises citizens’ engagement, interactions, and educational materials, but also encourages proactive participation in data collection, discussions in both formal and informal settings, and addressing specific challenges as well as broader real-world issues. It introduces innovative approaches to cultivating a more inclusive scientific community by harnessing emotional engagement, social incentives, and structured participation frameworks.