Organisation - June 22, 2010

ISRIC soil scientists may move to Gaia

ISRIC may be offered space in Gaia on the Wageningen campus. There is no room for the soil collection yet, though. Staff are not keen.

The Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) has offered soil science institute ISRIC accommodation in the Gaia building on the Wageningen campus. ISRIC has been temporarily housed in Building 116 since it was evacuated from its building at Duivendaal due to fire risks. The ESG employees' council fought the decision and a court has ruled that the staff should return to Duivendaal unless Wageningen UR can offer other suitable accommodation.
The ESG came up with the offer of  one wing of the Gaia building. There is nowhere to put the soil collection at the moment, but the ESG plans to solve that by building a new entrance between Gaia and Lumen with a cellar for the museum and space in the building behind Gaia for the soil collection. This plan has yet to be approved by the executive board.
The staff of ISRIC would prefer to go back to Duivendaal and wait for a permanent solution, it seems from an enquiry during a coffee break. One consideration is the higher rent the institute would have to pay at Gaia. Housing costs will go up by 400 percent over the next few years. Staff fear that this will be covered by making staffing cuts. The ESG has asked its employees' council for advice on the plan.