Highly organic soils are widespread across northern latitudes of the globe, and yet the nature of these soils and how they can be managed is poorly understood. The processes of nutrient transfer storage and turnover are often radically different from those that occur in mineral soils. We know that they play a vital role in contributing to a range of ecosystem services, including storage of carbon and other nutrients, greenhouse gas exchange, water storage, support for crop and forest growth, buffering actions, and biodiversity. However, organic soils are threatened by changes to environment that include climate change peat extraction, development and pollution. These concerns are recognized in the developing European Soil Thematic Strategy. There is now an urgent need to improve our understanding of the role that these organic soils play a range of functions, and to develop management activities are that can contribute to their sustainable use. For the purpose of this conference, highly organic soils will be considered as peats and mineral soils containing more than 5% organic matter. This conference will be jointly organised by CEH, the Macaulay and SAC and be supported by BSSS and BES. It will provide an up-to-date assessment of our understanding and management of organic soils, and identify knowledge gaps, through a series of talks by international speakers on the topic, together with offered presentations and posters.

Lucy Sheppard, Helaina Black and Bob Rees