THE Eden Project Learning team have unveiled the UK’s only undergraduate Soil Science degree.

The Eden Project Learning, along with Cornwall College, have recently announced the news that it has launched the UK’s only undergraduate degree in Soil Science.

The programme is said to equip “future leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.”

A spokesperson from the programme explained: “The development of this course further solidifies our commitment to providing cutting-edge educational opportunities in the field of environmental science and sustainability.

“Soil is the largest terrestrial carbon store in the world, containing more carbon than living biomass and the atmosphere combined.

“It provides 95% of our global food supply and is currently our most economically viable resource for carbon capture and storage.

“We are entirely dependant on soil and our life would not exist without it.

“Soil, however, is also dependent on us, we manage 40% of the worlds ice free land surface and take the fate of those soils in our hands, 40% of the worlds land is now degraded and in need of active repair.

“The consideration of soil from governments and people has seen a recent positive surge with the UK committing to the sustainable management of soils by 2030, the emergence of Carbon Codes, Environmental Land Management, Sustainable Farming Incentive and new codes of practice and monitoring standards across construction, horticulture and agriculture.”

The course hopes to generate soil scientists with a creative mindset, those who can hold their own with a range of soil research areas and stakeholders, as well as creating a graduate capable of restoring soul function and health for a better future.

Support for the course has been flooding in. Conor Kendrew, Curriculum Development Manager for Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Science at the Cornwall College Group, said: “This new course will provide students and industry partners on our CPD options with an unparalleled educational experience and develop a truly world changing knowledge base.

“This subject spans many sectors in environmental science and I am very grateful to everyone at Eden Project Learning for their diverse academic inputs and look forward to welcoming our first cohort.”