Give soils their due

Abstract

We are not paying enough attention to the world's soils, a “nearly forgotten resource” and our “silent ally,” 33% of which are in a state of degradation. * We can't breathe, eat, drink, or be healthy without sustainably managing soils. So in recognizing 2015 as the International Year of Soils, the United Nations (UN) is focusing global attention on the increasing pressures on soils and their ripple effect on other global challenges.