Dirt Dialogues – the Art and Science of Soil Stewardship.

In an age of accelerated global soil degradation, creative and culturally relevant approaches to protecting the earth are needed now more than ever. The interdisciplinary book publication, Dirt Dialogues – The Art and Science of Soil Stewardship focuses on artistic approaches to soil conservation as a follow up to an integrated arts program of the same name at the 20^th World Congress of Soil Science in 2014 and the United Nations’ 2015 International Year of Soils. Rather than an art historical approach, the structure of book is inspired by the organization of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in its thematic overview to link specific artistic positions to current scientific research topics. The main part of the publication presents the works of fifty international artists in four sections correlating with the IUSS’s four main research divisions: Soil in Space and Time; Soil Properties and Processes; Soil Use and Management; and Soil in Society. Each artist has been paired with a soil scientist to discuss disciplinary and cultural perspectives on some of the most challenging environmental problems of our time in short “dialogue texts” that appear in each chapter. The book also includes introductory essays by renowned arts researchers and soil scientists and an educational resource section at the end. The publication is oriented at audiences interested in the cross sections of science, art, environment, and education, as it offers a set of visual methodologies and worldviews that expand public understanding and appreciation of the soil. The proposed oral presentation outlines highlights of the book within a framework of other cultural contributions to the International Year of Soils.