Soil is one of our most vital natural resources. In our area, mining has left behind toxic waste which now pollutes our soil. This damages soil health, putting local ecosystems and our health at risk. Naturally occurring bacteria in our soils interact with pollution from mine waste, and might help clean it up.
We're asking growers and farmers in the South West to get involved by sending in soil samples. We're looking for anyone who grows their own food or farms livestock - in a garden, an allotment, a smallholding, or a commercial farm of any scale.
You'll get a simple sampling pack from us for collecting a small amount of soil (with the return post paid for). We'll analyse this in the lab, and you'll be able to see the bacteria in your soil, and what proportion of them are able to bind metal pollution from the soil.
In return for your time you will have access to your own results and be able to see how they compare to the whole dataset. You will also receive a beautiful printed photograph of your soil bacteria.
The Dig for Dirt project is led by Dr. Elze Hesse at the University of Exeter and funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The web portal and project running are led by the non-profit organisation Then Try This.
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