North Otago Sustainable Land Management (NOSLAM) will run the year-long project, which will explore soil health, with a group of East and North Otago schools next term.
NOSLAM engagement officer Bridget McNally said the project was the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Soil Your Undies was a project first started in the United States, and encouraged farmers to test the health of their soils by carrying out a cotton strip test.
That meant burying cotton underwear in the soil, then leaving it for about two months before digging it up.
Ideally, it should be chewed and threadbare after being exposed to the soil’s micro-organisms, worms, dung beetles and other biological indicators.
The worse the deterioration, the better the soil health.
Mrs McNally said the name Soil Your Undies would appeal to children.
"Kids love stuff like that."
Once the pupils were involved, she hoped parents and the wider community would also become engaged and encouraged to create conversations about the environment.
NOSLAM and partners had been given $20,000 funding by Curious Minds NZ, a participatory science platform, and another $5000 from the Otago Regional Council’s Eco Fund, to run the project.
Other partners include the East Otago Catchment Group, EnviroSchools Otago, AgResearch, Otago University scientists, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Dung Beetle Innovations and the Science Learning Hub.
