IYS 2015

The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2015 the International Year of Soils (IYS) (A/RES/68/232). The IYS 2015 aims to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions.

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) IYS 2015

The year 2015 was declared as the International Year of Soils by the United Nations. On this occasion the INFF in a special cooperation with the Government of Tyrol and the University of Innsbruck will give away a special award “IYS 2015” among all entries to the film competition. The Innsbruck Nature Film Festival therefore particularly calls for submissions of films on that topic. Each film is an important contribution to raising the awareness of the issue of soils.

Although soil is the foundation of our lives and most ecosystems, there is only little awareness in the public so far. It allows us to produce food, it supplies raw materials, it serves as an important carbon and water storage, it is filtering our drinking water, it breaks down organic waste and makes pollutants harmless. Not least, a quarter of all species on our planet lives in the soil!
In our society soil is considered to be self-evident. This leads to many negative consequences, such as soil loss and soil destruction. Throughout the world every day 350-400 km² of arable soils lost. It is high time to protect this resource and therefore also our existence sustainably!

For more information, please visit:

• Global Soil Partnership 
• International Union of Soil Sciences
• Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative
• Global Soil Week
• The Economics of Land Degradation- A Global Initiative for Sustainable Landmanagement
• And in the near future: www.tiroler-boden-typen.at

The cooperation between the Government of Tyrol, the University of Innsbruck, the “Haus der Begegnung” and the INFF not only allows to award a special prize on the topic of soil (IYS 2015), numerous other events are currently being developed that will be presented soon on this website and in the program of the festival.
Look forward with us to exhibitions, lectures, city walks and special school screenings as part of the program of the Innsbruck Nature Film Festival 2015!