Testing a Tool for Mapping Multiple Soil Functions for Planning in Pays Coeur d'Hérault

On 19 march 2026, Pays Cœur d’Hérault - one of SPADES’ pilot - hosted a workshop bringing together 37 participants. The event gathered planning practitioners from state services, local authorities, and consultancies, alongside soil researchers, to explore how soil qualities can be better integrated into spatial planning.

The workshop opened with students from Institut Agro (Montpellier) presenting a study of existing spatial planning documents in Pays Coeur d’Hérault. Their analysis revealed that soils are largely addressed as a stable surface for construction, for food production and water regulation/storage, whereas soil health or soils as carbon sinks remain absent. Interviews conducted with local planners highlighted a lack of knowledge and political commitment to soil protection. Participants broadly agreed on the need for a multifunctionality approach to soils in spatial planning.

Researchers then introduced Qualisol, a mapping tool designed to support local public action by visualising three soil functions across the territory. The maps are generated through statistical modelling, trained on data from sites with known soil properties and types. Qualisol assesses on three core soil functions: biomass production, water infiltration, and carbon storage. It also combines them into a multifunctionality indicator that can be weighted according to local priorities regarding soil functions, and maps the uncertainty of the data.

Working in smaller groups, participants explored these maps alongside their own knowledge of the territory. In particular, specific abandoned farmland areas could be examined in light of the soil quality data Qualisol provides.

Overall, the workshop enabled planners to engage in discussions on soil quality and performance within their territory, while also providing valuable feedback to refine the Qualisol tool in line with users’ needs. It highlighted that meaningful integration of soils into spatial planning requires continuous exchange between soil experts and planning practitioners—sharing knowledge, aligning priorities, and co-developing tools that are both scientifically robust and practically applicable.