Mizen samples end 13-year soil mapping programme

THE Geological Survey Ireland (GSI), a division of the Department of the Environment, has collected its final soil sample in Co Cork, completing the national geochemical soil sampling programme which began in 2011.

Department secretary general Oonagh Buckley was on hand to help collect the final sample from Mizen Head last week.

She said teams of samplers have covered thousands of hectares of land, travelling through fields, bogs, and mountains to reach all corners of the island in the pursuit of soil.

‘Samples were taken every 4km2 on a regular grid, ensuring all types of soil were collected as part of the national survey. Samples were also collected within urban locations every 500m2.’

Once collected the samples are sent to a laboratory where the chemistry of the soil is analysed. This helps to provide information on the variability of soils in different regions. The derived analytical data is also being used by Geological Survey Ireland as well as others such as Teagasc, the EPA and researchers to map soil for agricultural, environmental, health and geological benefits.

In total over 42,000 samples from 20,660 different locations have been collected.

‘I am delighted to be present for the final soil sample collection as part of the Tellus geochemistry programme,’ said Ms Buckley. ‘This has been an immense effort over many years by my Department, since the first samples were collected in Donegal. It is great that it is finishing up here on Mizen Head in Cork overlooking the sea because this sample will mean that Ireland will be one of the best geochemically mapped countries in the world.’

Final geochemical data from the Tellus survey is currently available for over 50% of the country, with more data being released over the coming months and years. Data collected throughout the Tellus project is published and made freely available to all on the Tellus website: www.tellus.ie.