EUROPEAN SOIL JUDGING CONTEST 2025
As part of the EUROSOIL 2025 we are pleased to announce the launch of the 1st European Soil Judging Competition!
1 - 5 Sep 2025
Alcoi, Alicante
Spain
About the Soil Judging Contest
This is an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, whilst enjoying some time away in Alcoi, Alicante, a beautiful Mediterranean mountain area of Eastern Spain. In teams of four you will spend time in training with some of the foremost experts in the field of soil science, before representing your country or region in competition at sites around two Natural Parks.
EUROPEAN SOIL JUDGING CONTEST 2025
As part of the EUROSOIL 2025 we are pleased to announce the launch of the 1st European Soil Judging Competition!
1 - 5 Sep 2025
Alcoi, Alicante
Spain
About the Soil Judging Contest
This is an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, whilst enjoying some time away in Alcoi, Alicante, a beautiful Mediterranean mountain area of Eastern Spain. In teams of four you will spend time in training with some of the foremost experts in the field of soil science, before representing your country or region in competition at sites around two Natural Parks.
The Training Course and the Competition
The Soil Judging Contest is open to all registered students who are not otherwise employed in any job related to soil survey. The scope of the competition is that participants use their knowledge and practical skills to describe, understand and interpret soil characteristics in the field. Participants (in the form of teams and individuals) will describe a series of contest profiles using basic field methods, selected standards and guidelines. They will give a basic classification according to World Reference Base for Soil Resources and according to Soil Taxonomy. The winners will be selected on their ability to correctly describe and classify each soil, evaluate potential soil functions and interpret their capacity to perform under different land use and management practices. To prepare for the competition, the event includes a four-day technical training course.
The Teams
All teams, and team members, must satisfy the conditions below to participate in the soil judging competition. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact the organisers on esjc2025@gmail.com
- Teams will be made up of four members representing a European country, or a combined team from neighbouring countries.
- Countries are limited to only one team each.
- At the time of competition all members of a team must fulfill one or both of the following requirements:
- Registered at an academic institution based within the represented country.
- Be a national of the represented country.
- Teams must be registered by the National Soil Science Societies.
- All competing team members must satisfy the following:
- All team members will be present for the entire event (training course and competition), except where illness or emergency prevents that.
- All team members must be a registered student (BSc, MSc, PhD) at the time of competition.
- Team members should not be employed, or have been employed, during the six months prior to competition, in a soil judging, interpretation, or analysis role, except if this employment is directly related to their thesis.
The Teams
All teams, and team members, must satisfy the conditions below to participate in the soil judging competition. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact the organisers on esjc2025@gmail.com
- Teams will be made up of four members representing a European country, or a combined team from neighbouring countries.
- Countries are limited to only one team each.
- At the time of competition all members of a team must fulfill one or both of the following requirements:
- Registered at an academic institution based within the represented country.
- Be a national of the represented country.
- Teams must be registered by the National Soil Science Societies.
- All competing team members must satisfy the following:
- All team members will be present for the entire event (training course and competition), except where illness or emergency prevents that.
- All team members must be a registered student (BSc, MSc, PhD) at the time of competition.
- Team members should not be employed, or have been employed, during the six months prior to competition, in a soil judging, interpretation, or analysis role, except if this employment is directly related to their thesis.
Key Dates
1 Sep 2024: Expression of interest from National Soil Science Societies
France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Spain
15 Dec 2024 – 15 Jan 2025: Registration
1-5 Sep 2025: Course and Contest
Programme
- On-line (3h) some weeks before to the course
- Sunday 31 August: Participants arrive at Alicante, accommodation that night on their own
- Monday 1 September: Meet in Alicante in the morning, drive to Alcoi, reception and start the course
- Tuesday 2 September: Course and training
- Wednesday 3 September: Course and training
- Thursday 4 September: Simulation of competition in field
- Friday 5 September: Competition, joint dinner and awards
- On-line (3h) some weeks after the course
More information about programme soon
Materials
Standards for Soil Description
- Schoeneberger et al., Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, Version 3.0, USDA 2012
- World Reference Base for Sol Resources, 4th edition 2022, Annex 1: Field Guide
Standards for Soil Classification
Examples of Soil Description and Classification
Handbook of the contest (it will be downloadable before the course)
More info soon
Materials
Standards for Soil Description
- Schoeneberger et al., Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, Version 3.0, USDA 2012
- World Reference Base for Sol Resources, 4th edition 2022, Annex 1: Field Guide
Standards for Soil Classification
Handbook of the contest (it will be downloadable before the course)
More info soon
Venue
Course and competition will be around two Natural Parks:
“Font Roja” and “Sierra de Mariola”
All teams will be accommodated in hostels in Alcoi and/or Muro de Alcoi, Alicante
More info about the venue soon
Pre-activities · News
Organisers
Local Organising Committee
- Jorge Mataix-Solera (UMH, Spain)
- Minerva García-Carmona (UMH, Spain)
- Fuensanta García-Orenes (UMH, Spain)
- Victoria Arcenegui (UMH, Spain)
- José Navarro Pedreño (UMH, Spain)
- Luis D. Olivares (UMH, Spain)
- Javier Nadal Fuentes (UMH, Spain)
- Sara Ibáñez (UPV, Spain)
- Antonio Girona (CSIC, Spain)
- Manuel M. Jordán Vidal (UMH, Spain)
- Evan Alexander Netherton Marks (UMH, Spain)
- Ignacio Gómez Lucas (UMH, Spain)
- Ana Paula Conte (UPNA, Spain)
Scientific Committee
- Peter Schad (TUM, Germany)
- John Galbraith (Virginia Tech, USA)
- Rosa M. Poch (UdL, Spain)
- David Badía (UZ, Spain)
- Maxine Levine (USDA/NRCS, USA)
- Chris Baxter (Univ. Wisconsin-Platteville, USA)
- Erika Michéli (Hungarian Univ. of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
Partners
