In honour of the UN declaring 2015 to be the year of the soil, an open house will take place at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Center.

"It's the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, and they put something forward to say it's just an invaluable resource. There's a great quote from the 1930's by F.D Roosevelt about the fact that a nation that destroys its soil destroys itself, and of course in the 30's with the dustbowl, they recognized the importance of soil and what happens when we lose the resource," explained Research Scientist, Dr. Barbara Cade-Menun. "So the UN decided it was time we recognized the same thing. We need to promote our understanding, we need to promote protection of it, we need it for clean water, we need it for oxygen, and we need it for the food we grow."

Cade-Menun adds there is no specific schedule of events, it's just an open house for people to tour at their own pace.

"We have a number of different displays talking about the soils in this area, what soils are, why they're important for life, some hands on things for the kids to do and the grownups too if you like to look at soil texture," she said. "We'll have a number of different displays and experts here to answer questions."

The event will take place from 10am to 3pm in the Thomson Room of the Research Center, which is located through Gate Four.