Case study: Soil Discovery Trail
Photo acknowledgement: Fotolia_136790325 (from the press file on the website)
- Primary, Secondary, General public
- Outdoor
- Demonstration site / trail, Hands-on activity
- Germany
Soil Discovery Trail
The Soil Discovery Trail is a 1km outdoor nature path located in Regensburg in southeast Germany, which invites visitors to get to know the soil better under the motto is “You can only appreciate what you know.” The trail consists of 19 display boards – some equipped with audio stations. It is freely accessible to the public and guided discovery tours led by nature trail experts can be booked (for a fee) for groups and school classes.
The educational soil trail is designed and maintained by the Interessengemeinschaft gesunder Boden e.V. (a registered association and interest group for health soil) and its supporters, who can be found on the website.
Objective
The primary aim of the Soil Discovery Trail is to foster an appreciation for fertile and vibrant soils. Through various interactive elements, the trail aims to show the processes occurring within soil across landscapes, fields, and forests. It seeks to raise awareness about both positive and negative environmental impacts on soil, emphasising its dynamic nature. Furthermore, the trail aims to highlight closed ecological cycles and enable visitors to engage with soil through hands-on experiences.
Approach
To achieve its objectives, the Soil Discovery Trail offers opportunities for experiential learning, engaging all senses including information Boards with interactive tasks; puzzle stations: Interactive puzzle stations challenge visitors to unravel the mysteries of soil through problem; natural objects; field experiments; a green outdoor classroom; and discovery sheets for school classes (grades 4-7) with 23 tasks to be solved. Teachers can be provided with the contents of the information boards to assist with preparation or follow-up lessons.