Session

As soil health faces mounting pressures from climate change, urbanization, and unsustainable land management, its pivotal role in delivering essential ecosystem services and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has come into sharp focus. However, despite its direct and indirect impacts on land use, land cover, and ecosystem functionality, soil remains underrepresented in spatial planning and design frameworks. This special session draws insights from research in soil sciences and spatial disciplines to investigate the integration of soil-inclusive strategies into spatial planning and design practices. It builds up on the ongoing research of the SPADES (Spatial Planning and DEsign with Soil) project, an EU-funded Horizon initiative leveraging 17 European pilot projects across urban, peri-urban and rural areas to co-develop soil-inclusive spatial strategies that align with goals such as land degradation neutrality and no net land take. The contributions to the session examine the integration of soil health objectives into planning education and planning frameworks, the tools and methodologies required to mainstream soil considerations into planning and design practices, and the dual impacts of infrastructure development on soil consumption. Examples include the Brebemi highway case in Italy, which quantifies both direct and induced land transformations. The session also underscores the need to evolve spatial planning education, equipping practitioners with soil literacy and a systemic understanding of soil-related policy objectives and tools. From compact urban development to green-blue infrastructure, these strategies showcase how spatial planning can mitigate soil sealing, prevent urban sprawl, and enhance soil quality, quantity, and performance. By bridging soil science and planning practices, the session aims to foster collaboration, discuss ways for capacity building, and provide practical instruments to enable planners and policymakers to prioritize soil health and restore the ecological and social balance of urban, peri-urban and rural landscapes.