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SOILIA - soil research center

GreenBiodiversity preservation
By project TANIA
Publication Published on 11 December 2018
Location
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Finland
Etelä-Suomi
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.

About this good practice

SOILIA is a pilot-scale soil research center which offers real-world conditions for conducting basic scientific study of soil etc., carrying out applied research required by companies as part of their product development efforts, as well as developing new remediation methods of contaminated soil. SOILIA rents out research equipment as well as two research fields to universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes and companies for the purpose of research of soil, sediments, groundwater and surface water, as well as for testing remediation methods. SOILIA is ideal for a wide range of research and testing projects, including: Testing and risk assessment of soil remediation methods; Measuring water movements and substances carried in water in different types of soil; Measuring the quality of water infiltrated through soil structure.

SOILIA is owned by Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd. SOLIA is a result of a tight regional co-operation between research institutions, funding authorities and businesses. Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd. (LTYP, now LADEC Ltd.) University of Helsinki, Lahti University of Applied Sciences and companies came up with the idea of SOILIA. The role of LTYP was to convince the funding authorities of the importance of SOILIA for research and business life. The aim of SOILIA was to tighten collaboration between universities and business and to develop field courses, lectures and other activities of universities.

Expert opinion

Healthy soils are essential for achieving climate neutrality, a clean and circular economy and stopping desertification and land degradation. They are also essential to reverse biodiversity loss, provide healthy food and safeguard human health. Over 60% of European soils are unhealthy and scientific evidence shows that soils are further degrading due to unsustainable management of the land, sealing, contamination and overexploitation, combined with the impact from climate change and extreme weather events. Degraded soils reduce the provision of ecosystem services such as food, feed, fibre, timbre, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, pest control or water regulation. The loss of these essential soil ecosystem services costs the EU at least 50 billion euro per year. This good practice is in line with the EU soil strategy for 2030, which provides the framework and concrete steps towards protecting and restoring soils, and ensuring that they are used sustainably. The good practice combines the research agenda of the Lahti Region in Finland with solving a serious environmental problem and providing opportunities for new business opportunities for R&D-oriented companies. The good practice is an example of a strong cooperation culture which could also be an example for other European regions.

Resources needed

Applied funding to establish/built Soilia, year 2004:
EU/ERDF and Ministry of Education (75%) 709 875 €
Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd (8.4%) 79 025 €
University of Helsinki (8.3 %) 78 800 €
Lahti University of Applied Science (8.3%) 78 800 €
City of Lahti 236 625 €
Total funding was 946

Evidence of success

SOILIA is a good example of co-operation between regional research institutions, funding authorities and businesses. SOILIA has helped the research organizations to test their methods in pilot scale and enhance the co-operation with R&D orientated companies. SOILIA also gave the possibility to universities to develop their field courses, lectures and other activities, like test their research innovations and even how to reach the market.

Potential for learning or transfer

The main focus of SOILIA is to do applied research over the different disciplines. SOILIA offers a good facilities for research with for ex. different chemicals/toxins and for testing new remediation methods and techniques. There is also possible to do preliminary tests which can support decision making procedures of the authorities. Centers like SOILIA can tighten the co-operation between research institutes and especially with R&D orientated companies and give the possibility for universities to develop their field courses, lectures and other activities for example like test their research innovations and ways to reach the market.

Further information

Website

Website

Good practice owner

You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.

Organisation
Organisation

Lahti region development LADEC Ltd

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Finland
Etelä-Suomi
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