Why forest soils? What makes forest soils unique and worthy of study in separation from other types of soil? There is probably a myriad of reasons, as every forester or forest soil scientist would attest, but the most compelling motives surely must be their extent, their close links with the forests under which they develop and their role in the global biogeochemical cycles. We study the structure and functioning of forest soils in order to understand the relationship between the soil and the forest. The ultimate goal is then to utilise such knowledge in forest management and conservation. To further the argument in favour of studying forest soils, one can draw a very clear distinction between agricultural and silvicultural use. Although one could argue that both agriculture and silviculture treat the soil as a resource to be used when growing the desired crop, there is an important difference between the two land use types. Soil as a resource influences the quantity and the quality of the crop and, to some extent, the crop management techniques; however, it is only in a forest where the soil develops together with the crop. This is because of the length of the forest life cycle: a particular tree species or mixture has sufficient time to affect the microclimate and the site conditions, to alter the character and the functioning of the soil.