Swiss Soil Monitoring Network (NABO)
The main goal of the National Soil Monitoring Network NABO is the nationwide assessment and evaluation of chemical, physical and biological impacts on soil. Additional tasks include the prediction and early detection of soil changes to ensure long-term soil fertility. For this purpose, the NABO conducts a long-term monitoring of soils under current management conditions.
Soils are one of our livelihoods. In order to maintain their fertility, they must be used sustainably. The National Soil Monitoring Network (NABO) records and documents the temporal development of the quality of Swiss soils based on chemical, physical and biological soil properties. Our tasks also include early detection and forecasting of changes. To do so, we operate a long-term monitoring system that monitors soils under their normal management. For this purpose, we regularly sample a monitoring network of around 110 sites spread across Switzerland. We also collect annually management and land use data at selected sites. This allows deriving mass balances that are needed to verify the measured temporal trends. In addition to the long-term monitoring, NABO conducts supplementary studies on current issues.
