The fourth annual Soil Health Week will be celebrated across Illinois on March 3-9, 2025, and AIM is excited to be hosting a virtual panel featuring our Level 3 Conservation Planners on March 4th f rom 11 am to 12 pm! Adams County Conservation Planner Andrew Parks, Scott County Conservation Planner Courtney Lercher, and Knox County Conservation Planner Tim Blackwell will share their experiences working with SWCD staff and producers in their districts to improve soil health. Register here to join us for the panel!

Last year, the AIM team traveled to Springfield, hosted a paint by numbers activity with soil-based paints at the Capitol, attended two soil health rallies, and participated in professional development activities. As visitors contributed to the soil painting, which was an illustration of Illinois agriculture, the Planners shared information about their work in conservation. During their professional development activities, they heard from a few different speakers, including the manager of Enos Park Neighborhood Garden and a local apiary inspector. Sharing her
experience, Scott County Conservation Planner Courtney Lercher said, “Last year I attended my first Soil Health Week at the Illinois State Capitol, and the experience was so rewarding. Soil Health Week allows for like-minded professionals to share their passion for healthy soil and inspire new ideas to get soil health practices on the ground. I can’t wait
to share and learn even more this year!”

Coordinated by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, many different organizations host events, both virtual and in-person, throughout the week. Kendall County Soil & Water Conservation District is hosting a few different events, including a virtual book reading of Erosion: How Hugh Bennet Saved America’s Soil and Ended the Dust Bowl, geared toward schoolchildren. Other events include a forced air compost facility tour at SIU Carbondale and a tour of Enos Park Neighborhood Gardens near downtown Springfield, focusing on how they maintain healthy soils in an urban garden. There will be a Soil Health Advocacy Day held at the Illinois State Capitol on March 5th f rom 10 am to 3 pm with a rally at the Lincoln statue at 12 pm and a reception following at DH Browns at 4 pm.

On January 9th, Representative Charles Meier introduced HB0054, which aims to formally designate the first full week in March as Soil Health Week. In previous years, Representative Meier has introduced Soil Health Week resolutions, but this bill would amend the State Commemorative Dates Act, so the first full week of March would be recognized as Soil
Health Week each year. Soil Health Week has the power to bring people together, as the health of our soil affects everything from the food we eat to the wealth of our local economies, along with helping to keep our waterways clean and storing carbon. If you would like to host an event for Soil Health Week this year, proposals may be submitted here until Feb. 10th!