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Why should
national societies subscribe to IUSS?
The International Union of
Soil Sciences (IUSS) is the global union of soil scientists. The objectives
of the IUSS are to foster all branches of the soil sciences and their
applications, and to give support to soil scientists in the pursuit of their
activities. In addition, the IUSS aims to put soils and soil science on the
global agenda!
Annual subscriptions from National Soil Science Societies, either directly
or indirectly via National Academies, are essential for maintaining a
strong presence of the IUSS for effective promotion of soil science and its
wide range of applications to fellow professionals, policy and decision
makers, and the general public. This is critical to keep our discipline
strong and viable and to enhance its visibility and impact in all parts of
the world.
National Society members are part of the global community of soil scientists
and national societies are qualified to send a representative to IUSS
council meetings. IUSS Executive Committee members play leadership roles in
promoting the shared missions of the IUSS and National Soil Science
Societies. The Deputy Secretary General (Alfred Hartemink) maintains a
comprehensive website with information and numerous links supporting soil
science, and publishes the IUSS Alert each month and the IUSS Bulletin twice
per year. The IUSS Alerts are sent out to more than 12,000 people in over
100 countries. This has resulted in a tighter soil science community with
increased communication thanks to the internet and e-mail. In 2007, the IUSS
website had over 140,000 visitors and the number increases each year. In
2006, the IUSS published the book The Future of Soil Science which
can be freely downloaded from the IUSS website like all IUSS Publications.
It is our policy that IUSS soil information should be made readily and
freely available to all people in the world, and we continue to fund
activities and publications that fit our aims and mission.
The Secretary General
plays a vital ambassador role in promoting IUSS and National Soil Science
Societies interests, at the global level linking northern Soil Science
societies with burgeoning southern hemisphere counterparts; within a
European context by spearheading development of the Thematic Strategy for
Soil Protection (providing two of the 12 co-chairs, Stephen Nortcliff and
Winfried Blum); and by representing IUSS's membership in ICSU, links with
UNESCO and other agencies to influence priorities in policies and draw
attention to the potential for soil science and soil scientists to address
many of the current problems facing the earth and its inhabitants. IUSS is
actively promoting soil science on a global scale through the participation
(with IUGS, IUGG and IGU) in the UN endorsed International Year of Planet
Earth (2007-2009). IUSS is one of the founding partners. As part of the
International Year of Planet Earth, there is a soil theme for the promotion
of soil science headed by the IUSS Deputy Secretary General Alfred
Hartemink. In 2006, the IUSS and International Year of Planet Earth
published the brochure Soil Earths living skin, which has been
widely distributed and can be freely downloaded from the IUSS website. It is
aimed at the general public and translated in several languages.
The IUSS is the umbrella
organisation for six important regional societies, one in Asia (the "East
and South East Asian Confederation of Soil Science Societies"), three in
Africa (the "African Soil Science Society", the "East African Soil Science
Society", and the "West and Central African Soil Science Society"), one in
Latin America (the "Latin American Society of Soil Science Societies"), and
one in Europe (the "European Confederation of Soil Science Societies"). All
these regional organisations act under the umbrella of IUSS and have
specific tasks for promoting soil science.
Distinguished soil scientists are recognized internationally by election as
IUSS Honorary members at each Intercongress meeting of the World Congress of
Soil Science, and by presentation at each WCSS of monetary awards: the
IUSS-Dokuchaev for outstanding basic research in soil science, and the
IUSS-Liebig for outstanding contributions in applied soil science such as
new discoveries and techniques that improve agronomic production and
environmental quality. And last but not least, the internationally
represented IUSS Divisions (Div. 1, Soil in Space and Time; Div. 2, Soil
Properties and Processes; Div. 3, Soil Use and Management; and Div. 4, Role
of Soils in Sustaining Society and the Environment), Commissions and
Working Groups, continuously address frontier soil science issues,
challenges and opportunities by planning and executing scientific and
educational programs that benefit professionals and assist in educating the
general public and policy makers about the importance of soil science to
the global society.
In summary, support from
National Soil Science Societies is critical to the functioning of the IUSS
and the promotion of soil science throughout the world!
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