Soil testing opportunity
A national survey of soils and earthworms will launch in March 2009 as part of the OPAL project, a partnership initiative funded by the Big Lottery Fund. Soil can become polluted in much the same way as water and air but much less is known about its quality and the effect it has on the creatures that live in it. There is also surprisingly little known about the distribution of earthworms, or their relationship with particular soil types, so this survey will build a picture of soil quality and earthworm populations all over England.
Anyone can take part and contribute to this important research. A simple to use earthworm identification key and a step-by-step guide to assessing soil types can be downloaded from www.OPALexplorenature.org
Once the survey has been completed the results can be entered online and will appear on an interactive distribution map. Results from urban, suburban, farmland or the wild countryside will all be equally valuable.
Further details, games and forums relating to the survey can be found on the website along with complete instructions on how to take part. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.
