As part of SOLO’s international event “Soil Week”, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) co-organised multiple activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Soil Animal Days, between 20 September and 07 October 2024. 

The Soil Animal Days (Bodemdierendagen) is a national Citizen Science project in the Netherlands, encouraging people across the country to go on a “soil animal safari” consisting of counting multiple groups of soil animals. The participants’ observations are submitted on the Soil Animal Days website, and the generated data helps in recording the abundance of diverse groups of soil animals. 

SOLO partners from NIOO-KNAW contributed to a variety of activities within the scope of the Soil Animal Days and their Soil Week event: 

• Information charts about distinguishing between different soil animals, alongside fun facts about them were handed out to participants. 

• A survey on the existing knowledge and knowledge gaps surrounding soil animals was conducted in the Soil Animal Stand waiting queue, at the 2024 edition of the science festival for children Expedition NEXT, in Zutphen. The Soil Animal Stand allows children to go underground and learn more about soil animals. SOLO partners interviewed attendees, leading to lively discussions about their knowledge and interest in different soil animals. Brochures introducing SOLO were also distributed to provide background on the project. A news item featuring the survey, along with information about SOLO, was published on the official Soil Animal Days website. 

SOLO researcher conducting a survey in the Soil Animal Stand waiting queue at the 2024 edition of the science festival for children Expedition NEXT, in Zutphen (Netherlands). 

• At the opening of the Soil Animal Days, a 'soil safari' was held. Each SOLO researcher guided two groups of over twenty people to an arboretum to officially count soil animals, fostering discussions and encouraging knowledge exchange along the way. The event attracted over 300 people. 

• An appearance on the national TV news channel “NOS journaal” highlighted the importance of caring for soil animals, and led to a cartoon being featured in national newspapers. The broadcast reaches between 1.5 and 2.5 million viewers. 

Cartoon about the Soil Animals, based on the national news. English translation. 

• A segment on the local radio station “Radio Rijnmond” in the Rotterdam region, which reaches 160,000 listeners daily, provided information and encouraged participation in the Soil Animal Days.

• The SOLO partners created a prompt on the Soil Animal Days’ website to collect knowledge gaps about soil animals from participants. After submitting their counts, they were asked what they would like to learn about soil animals and what they believe should be further researched. The prompt was filled in by 131 people and led to a news article, later discussed during the official presentation of the results of the Soil Animal Days on World Soil Day (5 December) in Wageningen. 

• The overall results of the Soil Animal Days, including the number of soil animals counted, the city with the most sightings, and the most commonly observed species, were shared with the public in Wageningen, sparking a discussion on the top 10 questions about soil animals. The event, attended by 50 people, featured an introduction to SOLO during the evening discussion, which highlighted the growing interest in soil animals and the importance of soil conservation. The idea of organising a science café on the topic was also suggested during the discussion.

The events drew a diverse range of audiences, including business partners, regional and local authorities, and civil society, all of which contributed to enhancing soil literacy. Activities reached across regional, national, and international levels thanks to widespread media coverage, engaging events, and interactive online participation.