Elemental soils

Soil survey with manual Dutch auger, including ‘fizz’ testing for carbonate content using 10% acid solution (HCI).

Liz Nicholson

A new tool for landscape practitioners, supported by the Landscape Institute, has been launched to help guide decision-making around the climate and nature impacts of projects. Consideration of soils play a key role.

Elemental is a new tool to support the landscape industry design with best outcomes for climate and nature. The tool is designed to support different user groups, from landscape architects to garden designers.

An understanding of soils is essential, from an early stage in the design process, as this will inform everything from plant choice to drainage requirements. The tool broadly considers a range of criteria to help designers manage their use of both topsoil and subsoil in projects:

– Materials usage

– Carbon impacts

– The soil itself

– Biodiversity

– Water relations

– Society

Harnessing the multifunctional benefits of healthy soils requires a comprehensive thought process. A key objective must be to retain existing site soils with minimal interventions since soils are a vital storage bank for land-based carbon stocks, and our most effective water storage device to mitigate against flood risk.

Within the soils section, the tool supports designers by guiding them through a series of questions to enable consideration to be given to all impacts as part of the design process. Designers are encouraged to take time to analyse soils, reviewing compaction and evidence of organic matter, and considering the site’s history and potential contamination. In addition, the tool facilitates soil series mapping and, ideally, carrying out soil analysis, including pH, phosphorous, potassium or magnesium.

There are many ways in which designers can minimise their negative impact on soils:

– Since any soil disruption risks the loss of soil organic carbon, and hence negatively impacts climate, Elemental encourages designers to carefully consider their existing topographical situation and promotes minimal intervention.

– Designers are challenged to consider the percentage of soft landscaping and avoid sealing off the surface with hard materials, to maximise aerobic respiration.

– Plants should be specified to be grown peat-free compost and specifiers must encourage nurseries to convert to peat-free growing.

– Prior to projects entering the construction phase, soil management plans are imperative in order to retain soils wherever possible and protect them against compaction.

In the carbon section of the metric, vehicle movements are considered, and many would without doubt be shocked to see how many vehicle movements result from inappropriate soil management. In addition, 57% of UK landfill comprised soil, and Elemental enables us to calculate the carbon cost of this ‘waste’.

As an industry we must ensure that we develop a positive handprint and not a heavy footprint. Early pilot use of the tool has shown that typical garden design projects can take up to 75 years to offset their construction carbon emissions. Initial testing has demonstrated a reduction in carbon emissions exceeding 25%. Elemental will help us to design mindfully, respecting the existing site conditions and working with a lighter touch.

Launched in March 2025, Elemental has been designed, developed and sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society, British Association of Landscape Industries, Society of Garden Designers, and Landscape Institute.