by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
Finding new people willing to support soil protection efforts across Europe and contribute directly to scientific research is the goal of the second open call\u00a0launched<\/a> by the ECHO<\/strong> project \u2013 Engaging Citizens in Soil Science: the Road to Healthier Soils, designed to expand its network of Soil Ambassadors<\/strong> across the participating countries. The new call is open to citizens, teachers, farmers, representatives of associations and, more broadly, anyone interested in promoting soil health awareness<\/strong> and engaging local communities.<\/p>\n The initiative builds on the project’s broader activities. Funded by the Horizon Europe programme and coordinated by the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, ECHO was launched in 2023<\/a> to increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of healthy soils. Through the citizen science<\/em><\/strong> approach, the project directly involves citizens in data collection and the generation of knowledge aimed at protecting a resource that is essential for agriculture, biodiversity and climate resilience.<\/p>\n