Background

Mollisols are recognized as the world’s most important and productive agricultural soils, and are distributed dominantly in only four regions of the world: North and South Americas, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Leading soil scientists from each of these regions have highlighted current and past management practices in these regions, state of the art soil science resource research occurring in these regions, and challenges we face to sustain this critical resource in the face of rising population and changing climate.

The Bureau of International Cooperation, and Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, organized the International Symposium on Soil Quality and Management of World’s Black Soils’ on July 13th-16th, 2010, Harbin, China. Over 200 participants from the four world’s Mollisol regions who presented in the Symposium reached an agreement that there is a necessity to establish an international society with an aim of reinforcing the cooperation and exchanges, and promoting the conservation and sustainable utilization of the world Mollisols.　　 

WMA Vision

A world in which all Mollisol resources are used in a productive, sustainable and ecologically sound manner.

WMA Mission

To promote the wise application of Mollisols management practices worldwide that will improve and safeguard the quality of the soil resources to meet the continuing needs for future agricultural, environmental and societal development.

WMA Property

A nongovernmental organization composed of scientists, extension specialists, managers, stakeholders and graduate students who are interested in the research and management of world Mollisols.

WMA Coordination

Scientific Committee of the World Mollisols Association

Headquarter

Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Address: 138 Haping Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150081, China

Website: www.neigaehrb.cas.cn/htcb/

STIPULATION OF THE WORLD MOLLISOLS ASSOCIATION

(WMA)

 (Version 1, March 15, 2011)

SECTION A: INTRODUCTION

1. Name

1.1 The name of the organization shall be the World Mollisols Association (WMA).

2. Philosophy

2.1 The conservation and enhancement of Mollisols quality are a common concern of all humanity.

2.2 Inherent in this philosophy is the responsibility of humanity for maintaining and enhancing the productivity of Mollisols, taking effective measures to control soil degradation and safeguarding and improving the Mollisols quality to meet the needs of agriculture, society and nature.

2.3 The WMA will strive to encourage all nations and communities concerned to improve their care of Mollisols, to strengthen policies which promote better land husbandry and to eliminate unsustainable land use practices.

2.4 The WMA pledges, through its international membership, to provide a forum on the issues of ecological sustainability of Mollisols and to promote the practical implementation of the concept of land husbandry as the principal means for achieving Mollisols conservation. WMA recognizes that scientists should prepare their action plans to assist with the implementation of better land husbandry. Their plans should provide for the conservation of Mollisols by including provisions for integrated land management; environmental impact assessment; development of new environmentally sound practices; the monitoring of changes in soil quality; scientific and technical cooperation; transfer of technology; development and sharing of information and knowledge; education and training.

3. Purposes

3.1 The primary purposes of the WMA are to:

(1) promote good practices in Mollisols conservation

(2) promote and assist the development of Mollisols policy and management practices

(3) raise the profile of Mollisols conservation issues in the activities of international and national organizations engaged in environmental action

(4) promote education, training and research into better Mollisols management

3.2 In order to achieve the primary purposes of the WMA, but without limiting its generality, the secondary purposes of the WMA are to:

(1) facilitate interaction, co-operation and links among WMA members

(2) provide a forum for the discussion and dissemination of good Mollisols conservation practices

(3) convene and hold conferences, seminars and training workshops, and conduct field studies connected with the development of better Mollisols conservation

(4) produce, publish and distribute policies, guidelines, books, papers and other informative material that promote better Mollisols conservation

SECTION B: MEMBERSHIP

1 An application for membership of the WMA shall be made to the Executive Secretary in writing or by other appropriate means.

2 As soon as practicable after the receipt of an application, the Executive Secretary shall accept or reject the application.

3 A person shall be eligible to be considered for membership of the WMA if they are:

(1) engaged in the field practice of Mollisols conservation

(2) engaged in teaching of Mollisols

(3) engaged in research into any aspect of Mollisols

(4) involved in the administration of Mollisols

(5) involved in Mollisols in any other manner that is directly associated with the purposes of the WMA

(6) interested in the promotion of Mollisols

4 The Executive Secretary shall, upon receipt of the applicant's name in the Register of Members kept by the Executive Secretary and, upon the name being so entered, the applicant becomes a Member of the WMA.

SECTION C: COUNCIL

1. Council

1.1 The affairs of the WMA shall be managed by a Council constituted as provided in these Rules.

1.2 The member of director of the WMA Council shall be:

(1) President

(2) Deputy President

(3) Executive Secretary (ex officio and nominated by the organization that hosts the secretariat)

(4) Other members of director totaling not more than 12 for the whole council.

Council members will function in various duties of WMA activities as deemed appropriate.

It is necessary that the following continents be represented by at least one member each: America (South), America (North), Asia, Europe (East).

1.3 The Council shall provide active leadership to the membership and will control and manage the affairs of the WMA.

1.4 The primary functions of the Council are to:

(1) act as the primary point of contact for the general membership of the WMA, as well as with external entities with whom contact is necessary to carry out and manage the Association’s affairs.

(2) give general rulings on Mollisols conservation policy and determine complementary policy guidelines, within the general policy, philosophy and objectives of the WMA.

(3) make and authorize public statements on important issues concerning the Purpose of the WMA.

(4) seek cooperation from the principal global groups in developing joint position statements on the state of Mollisols.

(5) establish working groups and commissions under the provisions of the constitution.

(6) review the performance of WASWC, its working groups and commissions.

(7) consult regularly with the membership

(8) admit members

1.5 Each member of director of the WMA shall hold for five-year term and is eligible for re-election.

2. Responsibilities of the member of the Council

2.1 The President shall be an ex officio member of all committees. The President shall be responsible for the administration of all orders, policies and resolutions of the Council. The

President, or the President’s nominee, shall sign all agreements, contracts, deeds, leases and other instruments, as may be involved in the ordinary running of the WMA, subject to the approval of the Council.

2.2 The Deputy President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and shall carry out any other duties assigned to him or her by the President or members of the Council from time to time. 

2.3 The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for the recording and distribution of the minutes of each meeting and the keeping of the records, including WMA membership. The Executive Secretary shall also be responsible for the conducting of the general affairs of the WMA, its correspondence, the coordination of meetings and conferences and the publication of newsletters and other material published by the WMA.

3. Proceedings of the Council

3.1 The Council shall meet at least once every two years, at such place and such times, or in such a manner, as the Council may determine.

3.2 Special meetings of the Council may be convened by the President or by any four Members of the Council, at any place, or in any manner, that the Council thinks fit.

3.3 Unless specifically stated to the contrary in these Rules, the Council may regulate its meetings as it thinks fit and it may meet for dispatch of business by post, telephone or other electronic communication.

3.4 At meetings of the Council, the President, or in the President’s absence, the Deputy President, shall preside.

SECTION D: APPOINTMENT OF VICE PRESIDENTS

1. Appointment of Vice Presidents

1.1 The Council shall, on the recommendation of the President, appoint a number of persons as Vice Presidents, who shall each represent a country or region of the world. More than one Vice President can be appointed for each specific country or region if needed.

1.2 The responsibilities of each Vice President shall be to:

(1) provide advice and recommendations to the Council on any aspect of Mollisols conservation within the purposes of the WMA, and

(2) take positive and reasonable steps to ensure that the purposes of the WMA are advanced within the specific Vice President's country or region, in particular, encouraging new membership to the WMA,

(3) carry out any specific task related to the purposes of WMA which the President may request,

(4) chair a committee, commission or working group as may be set up, 

(5) make regular reports to the Council on the development and progress of Mollisols conservation in the representative region or on any aspect of the WMA purposes, and

(6) hold or assist with conferences, meetings and workshops on themes that are relevant to the purposes of WMA.

1.3 The Council may, on the recommendation of the President, appoint Vice Presidents who will be responsible for specific duties or specific aspects of soil and water conservation.

Suggested Candidates of the WMA Council for 2011-2015