This policy brief summarises recently developed perspectives on soils that have emerged from the findings of the MEMOLA project. The critical environmental dependency of soils is well-established yet to date soils have been undervalued and poorly recognised as cultural materials. MEMOLA has demonstrated that soils are an extensive cultural resource and form part of Europe’s rich cultural heritage. This brief stresses the need for a comprehensive European policy for soil protection and management that recognises the complex nature of soil and seeks to promote an awareness of soils as having a dual inheritance that stems from both cultural and natural processes. The Italian Soil Science Society (SISS) and the European Society for Soil Conservation (ESSC) collaborated in writing this policy brief and is supported by the UK Soil Association. Download the full document in PDF format.