Amazonian soils are almost universally thought of as extremely forbidding. However it is now
clear that complex societies with large sedentary populations were present for over a
millennium before European contact. Associated with these are tracts of anomalously fertile
dark soils termed 'terra preta' or dark earths. These soils are presently an important
agricultural resource within Amazonia and provide a model for developing long-term future
sustainability of food production in tropical environments. The late Dutch soil scientist Wim
Sombroek (1934-2003) was instrumental in bringing the significance of these soils to the
attention of the world over four decades ago. Wim saw not only the possibilities of improving
the lives of small holders throughout the world with simple carbon based soil technologies but
was an early proponent of the positive synergies also achieved in regards to carbon
sequestration and global climatic change abatement. Wim's vision was to form a
multidisciplinary group whose members maintained the ideal of open collaboration toward the
attainment of shared goals. Always encouraged and often shaped by Wim this free association of
international scholars termed the Terra Preta Nova Group came together in 2001 and has
flourished. This effort has been defined by enormous productivity. Wim who is never far from
any of our minds and hearts would have loved to share the great experience of seeing the
fruits of his vision as demonstrated in this volume.
