Welcome to the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative
The Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) is a global scientific and policy platform advancing the understanding, monitoring and protection of soil biodiversity.
A New Chapter for the GSBI
Following the passing of founding director Dr. Diana Wall, the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative is entering a new phase. Building on Diana's vision and the international network she helped create, the GSBI continues to connect researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and organizations working to advance understanding, monitoring, and protection of soil biodiversity.
Under new leadership, the GSBI is strengthening its role as a global platform for collaboration, science, and action on soil biodiversity.
We are also updating the GSBI website to reflect this next chapter. There is still work to do, and we appreciate your patience as we gradually refresh our pages and resources. Please stay tuned for updates and new content.
Dr. Diana Wall’s Passing
It is with deep sadness that we announce that Diana Wall, GSBI founder and scientific chair, has passed. A staunch champion for soil biodiversity science, Diana founded GSBI as a grassroots organization in 2011 together with Wim van der Putten, Richard Bardgett, Johan Six, and Luca Montanarella to connect scientists and inform policy, education, and the public on soil biodiversity. As the leader of GSBI, Diana prioritized the inclusion of scientists from underrepresented groups, the global South, and early career researchers, and advocated for their access to resources. There are very few scientists who have reached out with the intensity and breadth across their field as she did. Diana Wall placed soil biodiversity on the map.
Diana was tireless in her efforts to build up the GSBI and bring soil biodiversity onto the international policy stage. By 2012 she had secured funding from Colorado State University (CSU), hired an Executive Director, organized an international workshop, was invited to speak at the RIO+20 Convention, and initiated work on the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas (published in 2016). Over the last decade, Diana encouraged the production of the first Global Soil Biodiversity Assessment (2020), secured GSBI participation in the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity-COP14 and international monitoring efforts such as the Soil Biodiversity Observation Network (SoilBON) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory (GLOSOB). She spearheaded the creation of the international Global Soil Biodiversity Conferences (Dijon, Nanjing, and Dublin), and during Covid produced ‘GSBI Speaks’ a series of online webinars to keep the global soil biodiversity community connected.
GSBI Scientific Chair was only one of many scientific roles that Diana held across the field of ecology. We will share additional details about any tributes or celebrations of her life as they become available.
“GSBI Speaks”
October Webinar: Dr. Diana H. Wall Remembrance
GET INVOLVED WITH GSBI!
Get updates on what the GSBI is up to and never miss an opportunity to participate in GSBI events and efforts.
Stay up-to-date with the work other GSBI members are doing or share some of your own work in the GSBI blog “Beneath Our Feet.”