The SOB4ES project has released the Soil Health Assessment and Re-Evaluation (SHARE) Protocols Handbook, a comprehensive new guide designed to harmonize how soil health is monitored across Europe. This publication provides standardized, practical, and scientifically validated protocols for assessing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils — essential to understanding and protecting one of our most vital natural resources.
Developed collaboratively, the handbook combines methods for soil structure and chemistry with innovative approaches to biodiversity monitoring — including macrofauna, mesofauna, microfauna, and microbial communities. These methods were rigorously tested across nine European pedoclimatic regions.
Beyond the scientific community, the SHARE Handbook is intended for farmers, land managers, policy-makers, and citizen scientists seeking to understand and improve soil health. Its accessible design encourages widespread adoption, supporting the EU’s Soil Monitoring Directive and contributing to broader environmental goals such as the EU Soil Mission and the European Green Deal.
The SHARE Handbook is now available for download on the SOB4ES website; SOB4ES-Protocols-Handbook_finalComp.pdf
