Soil as a Resource: Applying the Soil Management Hierarchy in Practice

The SocEnv Soils and Stones webinar introduces a structured approach to soil management through the development of Soil Management Hierarchies. This provides a useful framework for understanding how soil should be considered within both land management and development contexts.

What is particularly valuable is the positioning of soil not simply as a medium or by-product of activity, but as a resource that should be actively managed, protected and, where possible, enhanced.

Recognising soil as a material consideration

A key theme running through the presentation is that soil is often undervalued in decision-making. Despite its importance in supporting ecosystems, food production and carbon storage, it is frequently treated as secondary to more visible aspects of land use.

This is reflected in the way soil is handled within development processes, where large volumes are often moved, stored or disposed of with limited consideration of long-term impact. The data presented, showing that soil represents a significant proportion of material classified as “waste”, highlights this disconnect.

The hierarchy approach challenges this by reframing soil as an asset rather than a constraint, requiring more deliberate consideration at the outset of projects.

The value of a structured hierarchy

The introduction of a hierarchy provides a clear order of preference for soil management decisions, prioritising:

• retaining soil in situ where possible
• reusing soil within the site
• minimising movement and disturbance
• avoiding disposal unless necessary

This reflects a broader principle: decisions made early in the process have the greatest influence on long-term outcomes. By introducing structure at this point, the hierarchy supports more informed and consistent choices.

In a development context, this mirrors approaches used in other areas, such as the waste hierarchy, where decision-making is guided by an established order of preference. Applying similar thinking to soil brings a level of consistency that is often lacking.

Reflection from practice

In practice, soil is rarely the primary focus of land use or development decisions, but it underpins many of the outcomes being sought.

Across land advisory work, considerations such as:

• land capability
• drainage and resilience
• suitability for habitat creation
• long-term management requirements

are all influenced by soil condition and behaviour.

However, these factors are often considered separately from decisions about layout, development or environmental delivery, rather than being integrated into a single approach.

The hierarchy framework highlights the opportunity to bring these elements together more effectively. By addressing soil at an early stage, it becomes possible to:

• reduce unnecessary movement or degradation
• align land use with inherent site characteristics
• support more sustainable and deliverable outcomes

Integration with wider environmental objectives

The webinar also highlights the relationship between soil management and wider environmental goals, including Biodiversity Net Gain, carbon management and Nature-Based Solutions.

Soil plays a fundamental role in:

• ecosystem function
• carbon storage
• water management
• biodiversity support

This reinforces the idea that soil should not be treated in isolation, but as part of a wider system.

In practical terms, this means that decisions about habitat creation, environmental delivery or land use change should be informed by an understanding of how soil will influence outcomes over time.

Challenges and constraints

While the hierarchy provides a clear framework, its application is not without challenge.

The presentation highlights a number of barriers, including:

• limited policy integration across sectors
• lack of consistent indicators for soil health
• varying levels of understanding and capability
• difficulty in aligning different regulatory and commercial drivers

These challenges are consistent with wider observations in land use and environmental work, where the issue is often not the absence of good principles, but the complexity of applying them consistently in practice.

There is also a practical consideration around viability. In some cases, the preferred option within the hierarchy may not be achievable due to site constraints, programme requirements or cost implications.

This reinforces the need for judgement in applying the framework, rather than treating it as a rigid set of rules.

Personal learning and application

The key learning from this webinar is the value of structure in supporting better decision-making.

The Soil Management Hierarchy provides a clear example of how a relatively simple framework can influence outcomes by:

• encouraging earlier consideration of key issues
• providing a consistent basis for decision-making
• highlighting where value can be retained or enhanced

For my own practice, this has reinforced the importance of ensuring that soil is considered more explicitly within early-stage discussions, particularly where land use is likely to change.

It also highlights the need to move beyond viewing individual components—such as soil, habitat or development—as separate considerations. Instead, they should be understood as interconnected elements within a broader system.

This supports a more integrated approach, where decisions are informed by both environmental principles and practical constraints.

Conclusion

The Soil Management Hierarchy represents a practical and structured approach to improving how soil is considered within land use and development.

Its value lies not in introducing new concepts, but in providing a clearer framework for applying existing knowledge more effectively.

By encouraging earlier and more deliberate consideration of soil, it supports better outcomes across environmental, commercial and operational objectives.

As with other aspects of environmental management, the challenge lies in translating principles into consistent practice. The hierarchy provides a useful tool for achieving that, but its effectiveness will depend on how it is applied within real-world decision-making.