Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

Soil profile display

Hungary

The Soil Profile Display at the Tündérsziget Ökopark in Dunasziget, Hungary, is a living outdoor classroom developed within the trans4num project. Through three full-depth soil profiles, visitors can observe authentic soil layers, root systems and biological activity beneath the surface. Together with the trans4num NBS Toolkit, it creates a complete learning experience linking hands-on experimentation with real-world landscape processes, making soil health and nature-based solutions (NBS) tangible for diverse audiences.

The need

Healthy soils underpin food production, water regulation, biodiversity and climate resilience, yet most soil processes occur underground and remain invisible. In the Szigetköz region, centuries of river regulation and water management have reshaped the floodplain landscape and influenced soil development. Understanding how soils function, how roots shape soil structure, and how farming practices affect long-term soil health is essential for sustainable land management.

The Soil Profile Display addresses this challenge by transforming complex soil processes into visible, engaging and easy-to-understand learning experiences.

The benefits

The installation enables visitors to:

  • Visualise soil horizons and soil formation.
  • Understand how roots regenerate and structure soils.
  • Observe the effects of crop rotation, cover crops, legumes and deep-rooting species.
  • Increase awareness of soil biodiversity and biological functions.
  • Support practical learning on NBS and sustainable soil management.
  • Provide an engaging educational environment for schools, farmers, advisors and policymakers, transforming soil science into a memorable experience.

Additional information

trans4num solution

The outdoor classroom consists of three excavated soil profiles, each 230 cm deep and preserved behind reinforced glass panels, allowing year-round observation of authentic soil layers and living root systems. The profiles are managed according to crop rotation principles and showcase deep-rooting crops, nitrogen-fixing legumes, cereals, companion plants and cover crops, while the site itself is maintained using no-till cultivation, cover cropping, mulching and compost application.

The Soil Profile Display is fully integrated with the trans4num NBS Toolkit. The mobile toolkit introduces concepts such as water infiltration, erosion, soil compaction and biological activity through practical experiments, while the outdoor classroom demonstrates these same processes under real field conditions. Together they create a complete learning pathway linking controlled experiments with living ecosystems.

Challenges / limitations

Successful implementation requires specialised excavation and profile stabilisation, continuous maintenance to preserve soil visibility, seasonal crop management, and skilled interpretation to maximise educational value.

Resources needed

Key requirements include excavation and construction materials, reinforced glass panels, annual crop establishment and maintenance, educational materials, trained facilitators, and access to complementary NBS Toolkit demonstrations.

Educational value & scaling

The Soil Profile Display has engaged school children, teachers, farmers, advisors, policymakers and visitors, demonstrating that soil is a living system capable of renewal when biological processes are supported. Combined with the NBS Toolkit, it forms a connected, scalable learning system that can be adapted and replicated across Europe to support the uptake of nature-based solutions. 

Source Project
Transformation for sustainable nutrient supply and management
Ongoing | 2022-2026
Main funding source
Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, China
Project details

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