The Department of Soil Science was established in 1950 as an independent teaching and research unit at the Higher Agricultural School in Olsztyn. The first head was Prof. Dr Hjalmar Uggla (1908-1983) was an eminent scientist, who authored and co-authored several handbooks and papers on general soil science and forest soils.
           In the 1950s, a few notable scientists were employed at the department: Docent (associate professor) Dr Jan Lazar (later seconded on duty to Szczecin Polytechnic), Jan Siuta and Tadeusz Witek (who both subsequently moved to the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – IUNG in Puławy, where they gained the title of professor).          
          The Higher Agricultural School in Olsztyn underwent a number of reorganizations, as did the department. In September 1970, the Department of Soil Science, after joining the Sub-department of the Natural Aspects of Agriculture and the Sub-department of Agricultural Land Reclamation, was transformed into the Institute of Soil Science and Agricultural Land Reclamation. This new Institute was transferred from the Faculty of Agriculture to the Faculty of Geodesy and Agricultural Land Planning (nowadays the Faculty of Geodesy and Land Management). The position of the head of the institute was entrusted to Prof. Dr Hjalmar Uggla. In September 1973 the name of the institute was changed to the Institute of Soil Science and Land Reclamation. It comprised two sub-departments: the Sub-department of Soil Science and Soil Protection (head – Prof. Dr Hjalmar Uggla) and Sub-department of Agricultural Land Reclamation (head – Prof. Dr hab. Henryk Solarski). Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Józef Rytelewski was the head of the institute until 1978. From 1978 until 1982, this position was held by Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Tadeusz Wocławek, and since February 1982 Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Henryk Piaścik has headed the institute. Professor Józef Rytelewski worked at the department between 1950 and 1998. He released a number of publications, research reports and student textbooks. His research included work on the origin and classification of soils, soil erosion, soil protection and recultivation. The survey work of Professor Henryk Piaścik covered fields such as the origin, evolution and characterization of Histosols (organic, peaty soils), the properties of soil cover in various landscapes and the description and evaluation of wetlands in north-eastern Poland. Professor H. Piaścik is a member of the Polish Society of Soil Science, the Society of Ecological Engineering, the International Peat Society, the International Society of Soil Science and he is also a member of the editorial board of the Soil Science Annual (Roczniki Gleboznawcze).
          In 1983, the Institute of Soil Science and Land Reclamation was transformed into the Department of Soil Science and an independent Sub-department of Agricultural Land Reclamation. Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Henryk Piaścik became the head of the department (gaining, in 1988, the title of professor). In 1985 Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Janusz Gotkiewicz joined the staff of the department (achieving, in 1991, the title of professor). Professor Gotkiewicz began his scientific survey at the department after twenty-nine years’ work at the Institute for Land Reclamation and Grassland Farming (IMUZ). His research is focused on nitrogen compound transformation in peat soils and the properties of soils of north-eastern Poland, with a particular regard to wetlands and Histosols.
         On 1^st October 1988, the Department of Soil Science returned to the Faculty of Agriculture (now the Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture) and after a year it had two sub-departments: the Sub-department of Soil Environment (head – Prof. Dr hab. Henryk Piaścik) and the Sub-department of Soil Protection and Recultivation (head – Docent (associate professor) Dr hab. Józef Rytelewski (who gained the title of professor in 1990).
         In 1997 the name of the Department of Soil Science was changed to the Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection. Since 1999 the department has not comprised any sub-departments. On 1^st January 2005, Dr habil. Andrzej Łachacz, prof. UWM (associate professor) became the head of the department.