Soil-inclusive urban concepts recognize soil as critical infrastructure. By integrating soil functions into land-use planning, mobility systems, and public space design, cities can strengthen climate resilience and enhance ecosystem services such as water infiltration, cooling, and urban biodiversity. Here, you’ll find a compendium of urban-scale concepts that support informed, soil-sensitive planning and decision-making in highly transformed environments.
Peri-urban soils connect city and countryside and are often under strong pressure from urbanisation, infrastructure, and competing land uses. Managing and protecting soils in these transitional areas supports biodiversity, water regulation, and sustainable land use. This selection presents concepts for peri-urban planning that help local authorities integrate soil functions into development strategies and land management.
Healthy soils are the foundation of resilient rural landscapes. Incorporating soil functions into agricultural planning, habitat protection, and landscape management strengthens productivity, climate adaptation, and ecosystem services. The database below provides rural-scale concepts to help practitioners and policymakers make informed, soil-sensitive decisions across larger territorial systems.