LivingSoiLL Takes Living Lab Voices to Soils for Europe 2026 in Coimbra

From 7 to 11 September 2026, the city of Coimbra, Portugal, hosted the Soils for Europe: Healthy Soils for a Sustainable Future conference, a major gathering of European soil health projects working under the Mission Soil framework. LivingSoiLL joined a wide network of co-organising projects at the event, contributing to four dedicated sessions, poster session and hosting a Living Labs stand.

The conference brought together researchers, farmers, policymakers, and Living Lab practitioners from across Europe to share results, methods, and lessons learned from the ongoing work to protect and restore European soils. For LivingSoiLL, the event offered a valuable opportunity to present its Living Labs to a wider audience (including policymakers) and to connect with projects pursuing similar goals across different regions and farming systems.

Living Labs as Bridges Between Science, Policy and Territory

LivingSoiLL took part in the session Living Labs as Bridges between Science, Policy and Territory, organised by the SOILL-Stepup project. The session examined how Mission Soil Living Labs connect research, governance, and local actors to support the agroecological transition in different regional contexts, drawing on concrete examples and practical solutions from across the Mission Soil community.

Representing LivingSoiLL were Leonor Pereira, leader of the Luso-Galician Living Lab, and Juan Manuel Jurado, leader of the Andalusian Living Lab. Through short presentations, they shared how their respective Living Labs operate on the ground, the soil health challenges they address, and how local initiatives feed into wider European objectives on soil health and sustainable land management.

Living Labs on the Spotlight

LivingSoiLL was also represented at Living Labs on the Spotlight, another session organised by the SOILL-Stepup project. Structured as an open session within the Living Lab Fair, the session gave Living Labs a platform to present real-world tools, pilot actions, methods, and results directly to visitors.

David Lafond, leader of the Loire Valley and Beaujolais Living Lab, and Beata Rustowska, representing the Grójec Living Lab, took part on behalf of LivingSoiLL, engaging with researchers, practitioners, and policymakers throughout the session.

Iberian Living Lab Experiences in Mediterranean Permanent Cropping Systems: From Practice to Policy

LivingSoiLL organised its own session at the conference, in collaboration with the Trails4Soil project. Titled Iberian Living Lab Experiences in Mediterranean Permanent Cropping Systems: From Practice to Policy, the round table explored how Living Labs function as collaborative platforms that strengthen the links between science, policy, and local territories.

The discussion, held in Portuguese and Spanish, was moderated by Professor Helena Freitas and brought together representatives from across the Iberian Peninsula. Speakers included Leonor Pereira (from University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro), Juan Manuel Jurado (from University of Jaén), Isabel Brito (from University of Évora), Luís Marcos (from ADVID), António Graça (from Sogrape), and Ermelinda Pereira (from APPITAD). Together, the panel reflected on the challenges and opportunities of participatory approaches to sustainable soil management, drawing on the experience of the Luso-Galician and Andalusian Living Labs within LivingSoiLL, as well as Living Lab 1 – Permanent Crops of the Trails4Soil project.

Enhancing Soil Research and Innovation for IMPACT

Discussion centred on the practical relevance of these indicators, identifying gaps and refinements, and exploring how Mission Soil projects can put them to use in monitoring their impact.

A Living Labs Stand at the Botanical Garden

Beyond the conference sessions, LivingSoiLL hosted a stand at the Living Labs & Project Fair, held at the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra and open to both conference participants and the general public. Visitors could speak directly with representatives of the project’s Living Labs, explore posters presenting use cases from each Living Lab, and watch exclusive interviews with the Living Lab leaders.

The stand also featured two interactive initiatives designed to engage visitors: Harvest Your Prize, offering the chance to win project-themed prizes, and Bingo Connections, a game developed by INOVA+ to encourage synergies and interaction among conference participants.

Scientific Posters

LivingSoiLL researchers also presented their work at the conference’s poster session, sharing scientific results from across the project’s Living Labs. Sofia Correia, from Sogrape, presented two posters: one on soil erosion and sediment delivery in Portugal’s Douro Valley, and another on a sustainable circular solution for wildfire-impacted vineyards.

Susana Pereira, from the University of Porto, presented a poster on assessing water erosion dynamics to support effective soil health interventions in an organic vineyard in northern Portugal. Ruth Pereira, also from the University of Porto, presented a poster on establishing comprehensive baselines for monitoring and evaluating soil management practices, drawing on the case of the Loire Valley and Beaujolais Living Lab. Marta Roboredo, from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, presented a poster on the soil physical-chemical characterisation of experimental sites from the Luso-Galician Living Lab.

Together, these contributions gave conference participants a closer look at the scientific work underpinning LivingSoiLL’s Living Labs, from erosion monitoring and baseline studies to post-fire recovery solutions.

Looking Ahead

The Soils for Europe conference reaffirmed the value of bringing Mission Soil Living Labs together to exchange experiences and build connections across the European soil health community. Through its sessions, round table, and public-facing stand, LivingSoiLL strengthened ties with similar projects such as SOILL-Stepup, Trails4Soil, and SOLO, while giving its Living Lab leaders and stakeholders a platform to share their work with a European audience.