New Soil Sampling Protocols Published to Harmonise European Soil Health Monitoring

A major step toward standardised soil health monitoring in Europe has been achieved with the release of three comprehensive soil sampling protocols developed under the EU-funded Horizon Europe project Soil Health BENCHMARKS. The protocols, tailored to urban, agricultural, and forest land uses, aim to harmonise how soil health is assessed across different environments.

The BENCHMARKS project is validating a soil health monitoring framework at 28 soil sampling sites across Europe, addressing the urgent need for consistent, science-based methods to track changes in soil health. These newly published protocols provide practical guidance for field sampling, processing, and analysis of soil health indicators such as biodiversity, nutrient content, structure, and pollution levels.

“In BENCHMARKS, we developed transparent and harmonised protocols, tools grounded in the best scientific knowledge and technologies, adaptable to three land use types. These protocols mark a critical advancement toward a unified European soil monitoring strategy, ensuring that soil health data is robust, comparable, and policy-relevant, in support of the EU’s ambition to restore and protect our soils.”

Paolo Di Lonardo, Scientific Project Manager,
Soil Health BENCHMARKS Project

Three Protocols for Different Land Use Types
Each of the three protocols responds to the specific challenges of sampling in different site and land use types:

Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Sites Protocol – Designed for controlled trials and long-term research sites, this protocol captures spatial heterogeneity and integrates cutting-edge remote sensing for stratified sampling.
Agricultural and Forestry Systems Protocol – Developed for real-world managed landscapes, it provides a balance between scientific rigour and fieldwork feasibility, including methods for bulk density, earthworm, and mesofauna sampling.
Urban Systems Protocol – Tailored to highly heterogeneous urban soils, this protocol incorporates pollution-focused indicators, plastic contamination assessments, and context-sensitive sampling strategies.

The protocols standardise the collection of biological, chemical, and physical soil health indicators, enabling cross-site comparison and aggregation of data to inform policy and land management decisions. They also address key practicalities such as sample preservation, handling, and shipping requirements for advanced laboratory analyses.

Empowering EU Soil Policy
The BENCHMARKS protocols offer a scientifically sound and field-tested foundation for national and regional soil monitoring efforts, at a pivotal time as the EU Soil Strategy and Soil Health Law initiatives gather momentum. The BENCHMARKS project contributes directly to the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe,” aligning scientific practice with policy ambitions.

Access the Protocols
The protocols are freely available and will serve researchers, practitioners, and policymakers committed to reversing soil degradation and building sustainable land systems. The full documents are hosted by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE):