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 IUSS Secretariat 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 3.000 people in over 80 countries. This has resulted in a tighter soil science community with increased communication thanks to the internet and e-mail.
- 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 IUSS Presidents are vital ambassador in promoting IUSS and National Soil Science Societies interests, at the global level linking northern Soil Science societies with burgeoning southern hemisphere counterparts; and by representing IUSS’s membership in ISC, links with FAO 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 organisation and participation in many events dedicated to the International Decade of Soils 2014-2024.
- The IUSS is the umbrella organisation for six important regional societies, two in Asia (the “East and South East Asian Confederation of Soil Science Societies”, the “Central Asian Soil Science Society”), two in Africa (the “African Soil Science Society”, the “East African Soil Science Society”), one in Latin America (the “Latin American Society of Soil Science Societies”), one in Europe (the “European Confederation of Soil Science Societies”) and one in Eurasia (the “Federation of Eurasian 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, the IUSS-Liebig for outstanding contributions in applied soil science such as new discoveries and techniques that improve agronomic production and environmental quality, and the IUSS-Jeju for innovative and outstanding accomplishments in education, research, or extension in soil sciences.
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 programmes 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!