In a world where citizens are rising with a thirst for change, the TICSOIL project, supported by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) and led by PhD Aran Blanco as part of the KVELOCE team, aims to give the necessary boost to the contribution of citizen science in raising awareness through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
New citizen science initiatives emerge daily in response to a constantly growing social awareness. Therefore, at Kveloce we want to do our bit, especially for environmental causes, to expand the knowledge we have about the natural environment through observation and analysis, relying on data related to biodiversity, which will be collected by anonymous people. This is what is known as citizen science.
TICSOIL project
TICSOIL is an exciting call to citizens to come together and collect data on one of the most neglected aspects of environmental citizen science: soil, which despite playing a vital role in sustaining human activities and biodiversity, is degrading by leaps and bounds. Erosion, loss of soil organic matter, salinisation and, especially in urban environments, soil sealing due to excessive construction, as well as pollution, are accelerating desertification processes and an alarming decline in soil quality. Day by day, our damaged soils become less productive, and our biodiversity is rapidly vanishing
Valencia as a pilot city
In Valencia, where this pilot project will come to life, we have witnessed the irreversible loss of vast tracts of fertile land during the second half of the 20th century. Today, as a region, we recognise the urgent need to implement urban planning policies that protect our valuable land.
Therefore, citizens will be asked to provide the necessary data in Valencia, covering not only urban roadsides but also parks, gardens, green areas, and empty lots. Together, we will define and classify how our land is being used in different contexts.
With these data, obtained through simple experiments, and uploaded to an online platform, we will try to highlight the value of soil and its properties, as it is the vital support of green infrastructures in cities, as well as a carbon sequestrator and filter of relevant pollutants that contribute to climate change. In addition, TICSOIL seeks to establish a connection between green areas and the improvement of quality of life.
TICSOIL is strongly committed to promoting real changes in society’s habits and behaviours concerning soil. To measure its concrete impact, Kveloce will be in charge of analysing the results of the research conducted in the project, evaluating key aspects such as the reduction of waste disposal and the promotion of walking in green areas. This rigorous approach allows us to work towards a future where environmental awareness and soil protection are key priorities for all.
