The Mediterranean Living Soil Labs bring together local communities, municipalities, schools, researchers, practitioners and citizens working to strengthen soil democracy through the promotion of citizen science, participation and collective stewardship.
The aim of this Lab is to provide people from all sectors with relevant tools to understand the soils that sustain their territories, as well as participatory spaces to contribute to the co-creation of knowledge, local agency and long-term stewardship practices. Through workshops, hands-on educational programmes, citizen science activities and participatory processes, the Living Soil Labs serve as spaces for experimentation, learning and participatory pathways towards a healthier, more resilient and more sustainable Mediterranean region.
In the Mediterranean context, the relationship with soil extends beyond terrestrial ecosystems. Soil health is deeply interconnected with water systems, coastal environments and marine ecosystems. The quality of soils influences water retention, erosion processes, nutrient cycles and the flow of sediments and pollutants into rivers, wetlands and ultimately the sea. Likewise, the health of marine and coastal ecosystems is closely linked to how land is managed.
For this reason, the Mediterranean Living Soil Labs adopt a holistic perspective that understands soil as part of a broader socio-ecological system connecting landscapes, watersheds, coastlines, food systems, biodiversity and communities.
To combine science and policy with local knowledge and the lived experiences of citizens is essential to address the shared challenges linked to soil in the territories. The Mediterranean Living Lab bring these element together, to imagine more regenerative futures for the Mediterranean Region.
Coordination
The Mediterranean Living Soil Labs are coordinated and activated by Platoniq Foundation, acting as the regional Soil Lab Activator within the SoilTribes project.
Platoniq supports the design and implementation of participatory activities, facilitates collaboration between local stakeholders and contributes to documenting and sharing the knowledge, experiences and outcomes emerging from the different Living Soil Labs across the region.
