Soil Carbon Stewardship and Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Farming

This practice abstract highlights long-term research from Rothamsted’s Large-Scale Rotation Experiment (LSRE) on improving soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic matter (SOM) using nature-based solutions (NBS) like compost, cover crops, reduced tillage, and diversified rotations. Results show that combining compost and reduced tillage consistently increases SOC, even on sandy soils with low storage potential. Challenges include lack of livestock integration, over-reliance on glyphosate, and managing cover crops without tillage. The research emphasizes that sustained SOC gains require long-term monitoring, tailored combinations of NBS, and system-wide management for soil health and climate resilience.