soil - Wildcard

Four new WILDCARD podcast episodes explore fascinating examples of rewilding in Europe

Gesche Schifferdecker on June 30, 2026

What happens when people leave the land, when forests return on their own, or when nature refuses to follow our expectations? Our four new episodes of WILDCARD: The Forest Game take listeners on a journey through some of Europe’s most fascinating ecological transformations, revealing how landscapes, wildlife, and even microscopic organisms are reshaping the continent’s future.

In Episode 5, Natural Reforestation in Portugal, we travel to the remote Trás-os-Montes region, where abandoned farmland is gradually becoming forest. This largely unplanned process, driven by demographic and economic change, represents one of Europe’s largest reforestation phenomena. Yet the story is far more complex than a simple return of trees. Through local voices and scientific insights, the episode explores how people, forests, and changing rural landscapes continue to interact.

Episode 6, When Nature Surprises Us: The Steppe That Refused to Become Forest, challenges one of the most common assumptions about ecological succession. After fifty years of observation, ecologist Karel Prach discovered that an abandoned field in the Czech Republic did not become forest as expected. Instead, it developed into a valuable grassland ecosystem supporting rare steppe species. The episode highlights the importance of adaptation, long-term observation, and humility when working with nature.

In Episode 7, The Invisible Architects, the focus shifts beneath our feet. Following devastating wildfires on Mount Vesuvius, researchers uncovered a hidden world of bacteria, fungi, and soil organisms that drive ecosystem recovery. These microscopic communities rebuild soil health, recycle nutrients, and create the foundations without which forests regeneration could not take place. Their work may be invisible to our eyes, but it is essential for successful rewilding.

Finally, Episode 8, Where Wolves Walk: Natural Reforestation and the Return of Wildlife, explores the dynamic relationship between regenerating forests and wildlife. As forests reconnect fragmented landscapes, animals expand into new territories, creating ecological corridors across Europe. Yet wildlife are not merely beneficiaries of restoration; they actively shape the forests themselves through browsing, seed dispersal, and predator-prey interactions. Rewilding emerges as a continuous dialogue between animals and landscapes.

Together, these four episodes reveal that rewilding is neither simple nor predictable. Forests, grasslands, wildlife, and soil organisms all play interconnected roles in shaping Europe’s future landscapes. Through compelling stories and cutting-edge science, WILDCARD: The Forest Game invites listeners to discover how nature recovers when humans step back and observe.

Produced within the WILDCARD project, the podcast combines scientific expertise with engaging storytelling to bring Europe’s rewilding revolution to life. Whether you are interested in ecology, restoration, conservation, or the future of European landscapes, these episodes offer fresh perspectives on the surprising ways nature responds to change.

Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs

Gesche Schifferdecker on May 21, 2026

A new WILDCARD study published in the European Journal of Soil Science highlights the important role that natural vegetation recovery on abandoned agricultural land can play in climate change mitigation across Europe. The review paper, “Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs”, brings together evidence from 36 studies to better understand how soil organic carbon (SOC) changes after farmland abandonment.

Led by Mohammad Tahsin Karimi Nezhad and co-authored by Domagoj Gajski, Clara G. Jeanroy, Peter H. Verburg, Giorgio Alberti, and Pavel Šamonil, the review demonstrates that abandoned croplands undergoing natural regeneration can become valuable carbon sinks over time. In particular, croplands transitioning into mixed and broadleaf forests showed strong increases in SOC, especially in Mediterranean regions and in soil groups such as Regosols, Cambisols, and Calcisols.

The study also reveals important knowledge gaps. Most available research is concentrated in Mediterranean Europe, while regions such as Central France, Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, the Balkans, and the United Kingdom remain underrepresented. The authors stress the need for more long-term studies across different climates, soil types, and vegetation systems to improve understanding of soil carbon dynamics at the continental scale.

Importantly, the paper emphasizes that natural vegetation recovery should not be viewed as a blanket recommendation for widespread cropland abandonment. Instead, land-use decisions must balance ecological, economic, and societal considerations alongside climate benefits.

The findings provide valuable guidance for researchers, land managers, and policymakers working to strengthen nature-based solutions and soil carbon monitoring across Europe.

Reference: Karimi Nezhad, M. T., Gajski, D., Jeanroy, C. G., Verburg, P. H., Alberti, G., & Šamonil, P. (2026). Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs. European Journal of Soil Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70333

Featured image: Blätter Wald Natur via Pixabay (photo by ArtTower)

Researching the unacknowledged: A young Belgian researcher’s journey to understand the hidden world of forest soils

Rina Tsubaki on November 21, 2025

By Rina Tsubaki.

Soil might not be the first thing you notice when walking through a nearby forest. But it’s a quiet, hidden guardian that our forests depend on. It connects trees, insects, and fungi in ways we often overlook. Many soil organisms feed on dead plant residues, making important nutrients available to plants. Additionally, while feeding and digging, they incorporate organic carbon into the soil, improving soil structure and water holding capacity. Healthy, biodiverse soil is therefore essential for making forests resilient and multifunctional and cannot be ignored by anyone working in sustainable forest management.

Uncovering the hidden world beneath our feet: reflections from the WILDCARD Soil Workshop in Brno

Santiago Alarcón, Gesche Schifferdecker, Sara Cazzaniga, Yannick de Win on April 28, 2025

By Santiago Alarcón, Gesche Schifferdecker, Sara Cazzaniga, and Yannick de Win.

Not far from Brno, in the Czech Republic, an inspiring team of experts from various countries came together for a two-day workshop combining theory and practice on soil sampling. The workshop provided an immersive, hands-on experience focused on one of the most vital, complex, and still largely unexplored components of terrestrial ecosystems: the soil.

Organized by the WILDCARD project and involving both project researchers and external specialists, the soil sampling workshop aimed to align diverse research objectives under a shared mission: highlighting the critical role of soil in the context of rewilding. Over the two days, participants worked in two contrasting forest environments: one with soft, loamy soil that made the sampling procedure easy, and another with hard, rocky ground that challenged their adaptability and resilience. Thanks to the strong commitment of the group, once the technical training and minor hurdles were behind everyone, we group fully immersed ourselves in the environment. The workshop fostered a deep connection, not just among the participants, but also with nature and the often-overlooked world beneath our feet.

For many of us, soil might seem like little more than the “dirt stuff” we live on. But for Sara Cazzaniga from ETH Zurich, it’s a constantly shifting landscape of hidden stories. “Working with forest soil is particularly fascinating because of how much it varies”, she said. “Not only between sites, but even across different spots within the same forest.”

Sara came to Brno hoping the workshop would demystify the dense and challenging soil sampling protocol – and right from the start, she found a collaborative and supportive team. “As soon as we arrived at the first demonstration site, the outdoor setting felt just right,” she said. “Thanks to the shared insights and helpful observations, what initially felt difficult started to make sense. The hands-on practice really helped us become more comfortable and confident with applying the protocol.”

The group was a vibrant mix of backgrounds and expertise – from seasoned soil scientists to enthusiastic newcomers. That diversity quickly became a strength: beginners brought fresh questions, while more experienced participants shared field-tested tips. Everyone contributed with the shared goal of making the soil sampling protocol work – not just for science, but for nature, too.

“We had such a great mix of perspectives,” Sara added. “It made the tools and resources – like the app, FAQs, and videos – feel much more accessible and practical.”

Also, Yannick de Win from the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (EV-INBO) echoed that enthusiasm, “People often think of forests as trees, birds and mammals, but so many fundamental processes continuously happen belowground. That’s where trees and roots develop and where carbon is stored, thanks to the great diversity of organisms that live there.”

As part of the WILDCARD project, the teams at EV-INBO and Silva Tarouca Research Institute (VUK) will analyze both soil and forest floor layers to understand soil carbon dynamics, while Sara will extract environmental DNA from soil samples to investigate microbial community composition across different forest successional stages throughout Europe. Their combined efforts aim to reveal how soil carbon and biodiversity have shifted over time – specifically in areas where agricultural land and pastures were abandoned more than 70 years ago or forest management had been stopped.

The ultimate goal is to provide deeper insight into the potential for forest restoration and to inform strategies for climate change mitigation in the near future.

What began with this workshop is hoped to grow into a powerful reminder: that soil holds essential clues to the health of our planet and our future. In Brno, the WILDCARD team not only collected soil samples – they also planted seeds of knowledge, collaboration, and curiosity, laying the groundwork for more sustainable land management across Europe.