Preface from the editors

Abstract

In December 2016, scientists, students, regional council staff, consultants, industry and other interested parties gathered in Queenstown to discuss soil and land management. The theme for discussion was ‘Soil, a Balancing Act Down Under’. As the theme suggests, this was the Joint conference of the NZ Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia. Over 330 papers were presented, to an audience of around 500 people. Half of the audience travelled from Australia. Our conference focused on the role of soil in our societies where a careful balance must be reached between many complex and often competing land use, productivity and environmental aspirations. We posed the question ‘what is required from soil scientists now and in the future that will enable society to reach the “balance”?’.