Researchers at the University of Reading are leading a major European initiative to help farmers and foresters produce plant biomass more sustainably without further degrading already fragile soils.
The SOILBIOMASS+ project will bring together researchers, farmers, foresters, land managers, industry and policymakers to address a core tension in Europe's bioeconomy: how to meet growing demand for biomass — used to produce fuel, generate electricity and create materials — without worsening soil degradation, biodiversity loss and the effects of climate change.
The project will cover a range of landscapes including cropland, peatlands, forests, agroforestry systems and marginal lands, gathering comparable data on how different farming and forestry practices affect soil conditions across Europe. That evidence base will then be used to identify which landscapes are best suited to specific types of biomass production, now and as the climate changes.
"Simply producing more biomass doesn't automatically improve soils," said Dr Jorge Campos-González, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Reading and project coordinator. "In many cases, it can actually make things worse, particularly on peatlands and other vulnerable landscapes. This project asks how Europe can produce what it needs in ways that actually restore soils and protect long-term food security."
The University of Reading is leading the project's data work, building an openly accessible database of crop yields, land management practices and soil health metrics. AI and machine learning will be applied to field measurements, satellite data and farming records to identify patterns linking land management to soil health, predict where biomass production is most viable, and model how different approaches might perform under changing conditions.
SOILBIOMASS+ has received €6 million in funding under the Horizon Europe Mission "A Soil Deal for Europe" and runs from September 2026 to August 2030.
New project aims to balance biomass production with soil health
