What soil creatures are living right under our feet? Find out in your own backyard on 4 October - or in your local park, on your green roof or even your balcony (!) - as the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) organises the first-ever 'Soil Animal Day', together with the Centre for Soil Ecology (CSE).

The sold-out science festival for children 'Expeditie NEXT' took over the historic Dutch city of Franeker earlier this month.

Fields and meadows provide a range of key services, as long as the soil is healthy. A group of researchers and companies will study how farmlands can be returned to multifunctionality.

Nearly 1000 'citizen scientists' sent in their observations this year on Soil Animal Days 2019. And a surprisingly high number of people tried to do something in return for the vital services these soil creatures provide for us.

Micro-organisms living inside plant roots team up to boost the plant’s growth and tolerance to stress. This research is featured this week in the scientific journal Science.

This Saturday, 5 October 2019, everyone will be welcome to look around our unique building and grounds on the Open Day of NIOO-KNAW.

The 4th edition of the Dutch Soil Animal Days saw 856 'citizen scientists' comb through more than 200 gardens and parks to find some 7500 soil creatures.

This past weekend, thousands of people took part in the first nationwide 'citizen science' ditch survey in the Netherlands. The most counted water animals was the backswimmer (a.k.a. water boatsmen).