SoilBlitz

A snapshot of soil health

With the SoilBlitz, Citizen Scientists independently carry out tests to determine local soil health, collect important data and become aware of the importance of healthy soils.

What are the aims of the project?

In a so-called ‘SoilBlitz’, five uncomplicated and fast tests are carried out to determine soil indicators such as soil texture and colour, water infiltration rate, earthworm occurrence and vegetation cover. The measurement results for these indicators are documented via an app on the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform and then analysed. The collected data will be used in the EU project BENCHMARKS to gain an insight into the soil health of different countries and to test and optimise time- and cost-efficient methods. Based on the results, a final report will be prepared and sent to the participants. 

How can you participate in research?

As part of the Citizen Science Award 2025, school classes (aged 10 and over) have the opportunity to take part in an exciting project to measure five soil health indicators. The measurements, which take between 40 and 60 minutes, can easily be carried out in a half-day school day. The results are entered in the online test protocol via an app (or optionally afterwards via a PC) in the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform. The three school classes with the most entries in the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform will be rewarded with prizes: €1000 for 1st place, €750 for 2nd place and €500 for 3rd place. All entries submitted by school classes during the participation period from 1 April to 5 July 2025 will be automatically counted. To register, please use the registration form on the website.

This project fulfils version 1.1 of the quality criteria for citizen science projects on Österreich forscht.