Today was the second day of our soil camp, and we started the morning with an exciting field study. Before conducting this field study on campus, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevda Altunbaş from the Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition at Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Agriculture provided us with important information: She clearly explained what we would be doing, the rules we needed to follow, and our responsibilities.
We gathered our equipment and set off on a short walk to the designated area within the campus. Upon arriving at the site, she demonstrated how to determine soil texture and structure through hands-on practice. Everyone who touched the soil had the same curiosity and excitement in their eyes.
In the afternoon, we attended Prof. Dr. Şule Orman’s seminar on ‘Sustainable Soil Management.’ This seminar reminded us once again that soil is not only a natural resource but also an integral part of our life cycle. Following the workshop, we took a brief tour of the Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department’s laboratory. Witnessing the science behind soil was highly inspiring.
Later in the day, we split into small groups for a workshop. Our topic was the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), directly or indirectly related to soil. We examined the SDGs through both individual and group work, connecting them to our own lives and camp experiences.
We all came together to evaluate the day. We shared what we had learned, what had impacted us, and what we were curious about. As we shared these insights, we realised we were learning even more. Additionally, a brief overview of tomorrow’s activities was provided.
At the end of the day, information was provided about the LOESS mobile app that participants needed to download to their phones. It was explained that this app would guide us in the observation and recording activities we would conduct throughout the camp.
We were tired, but we had another day filled with soil and enriched with knowledge. Today, we got a little more familiar with the language of the soil. 🌱
