May 27, 2015 — In celebration of the International Year of Soil 2015 (IYS), the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is coordinating a series of activities throughout the year to educate the public about the importance of soil.  June’s theme is “Soils Support Recreation.”

According to June’s IYS monthly leader Mary Beth Adams, “soil is a big part of sports and recreation, whether you’re on a field or in the water.  Whatever game you play, soil plays a big part in it; it’s not just something we wash out of our clothes after the game’s over.”

Here are some facts about soils and recreation:

1. Soils keep plants, trees and animals in our forests and parks healthy.
2. Tree root systems need soils for support, for nutrients and to hold rainwater for later use.
3. Sandy surfaces of beaches are home to not only soil microbes, but also larger animals like crabs.
4. Healthy turfgrass for field sports rely on soils for nutrients, water, and support.
5. Soils help clean the water in rivers and lakes, to provide for healthy water sports.

As part of their celebration of IYS, SSSA developed a series of twelve 2-minute educational videos. June’s “Soils Support Recreation” video can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys/monthly-videos. Educational materials can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys by clicking on the June tab.

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA Soils.  SSSA also has a blog, Soils Matter, at http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/.   Additional soils information is on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12^th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, and founded in 1936, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members and 1,000+ certified professionals dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. The Society provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.