---
title: Safeguarding the ‘Soils’ of War
date: 2025-09-22T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/safeguarding-the-soils-of-war"
section: Articles
---
# Safeguarding the ‘Soils’ of War

*September 22, 2025* — by [Kimbra Cutlip](/author/kimbra-cutlip)


> In War-Torn Ukraine, UMD Researcher Advises Farmers on Regenerative Agriculture

*Ray in carbonate pit 2025 06 23 Sera 528292d9 1920x1080 — Soil scientist Ray Weil teaches Ukrainian farmers about a range of techniques to guard the health of the soil in their fields, a resource under increasing pressure in the war-torn country. (Photos courtesy of Ray Weil)*

Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine didn’t just kill people and destroy infrastructure. The nation’s rich, black soil—one of the world’s most fertile sources of food—also fell under threat as fighting, unexploded ordnance and other environmental contamination took wide swaths of farmland out of commission and put higher demands on remaining fields than ever before.


*Ray Weil*


*flames and smoke on city street after bombing in Kyiv — Weil snapped an image of smoke rising from the aftermath of a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, in July.*



**Sidebar note:**

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The University of Maryland is the nation's first Do Good campus, committed to inspiring Terps to make a positive impact now through research, public service and education. See more stories about Terps doing good at [*today.umd.edu/topic/do-good*](http://today.umd.edu/topic/do-good).





**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [War in Ukraine](https://today.umd.edu/topic/war-in-ukraine), [Environmental Science and Technology](https://today.umd.edu/topic/environmental-science-and-technology), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Agriculture and Natural Resources](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-agriculture-and-natural-resources)