HIGHLIGHTS#2 – Sept to Dec 2025
We are pleased to present the second edition of our HIGHLIGHTS series, our quarterly collection showcasing the latest news, achievements, and activities from our Living Labs and partners.
During this period, our community continued to drive innovation, strengthen collaboration, and generate real-world impact through a variety of initiatives and events. Discover their latest stories below!
iCOSHELLs meets in Bilbao
iCOSHELLs consortium gathered in the Basque Country hosted by the Basque Living Lab between 8th and 10th October. A special highlight were the visits to sites around Forua and Urdaibai. Learn more about this memorable gathering here.
iCOSHINE Session connects European Living Labs on soil monitoring
iCOSHINE, iCOSHELLs’ pan-European platform for knowledge exchange between Living Labs, soil experts, and stakeholders, held a successful session on soil monitoring in Bilbao. Participants shared experiences, insights, and best practices to advance soil monitoring across the network.
Curious about the key takeaways? Click here for a detailed summary.
Sign up for iCOSHINE invitation list . The next iCOSHINE session will focus on soil literacy tools and insights.
GREENNOMED Living Lab expands activities to Almería
In November 2025, the GREENNOMED Living Lab brought together 45 stakeholders at Fundación Grupo Cajamar’s “Las Palmerillas”. experimental station in Almería. Participants explored 14 hectares of open fields and greenhouses dedicated to agricultural research and visited the newly inaugurated meeting hall and laboratory, celebrating the station’s 50th anniversary.
A soil literacy session provided an overview of key soil properties and monitoring indicators, followed by discussions on improving ongoing iCOSHELLs experiments in Murcia and Almería.
If you’re in Southeast Spain, don’t miss upcoming GREENNOMED meetings, join the contact list here: Formulario de adhesión al canal de comunicación de GreennoMed living lab: Rellenar formulario
Our Living Labs at the European Mission Soil Week
On 5–6 November 2025, the Basque Living Lab participated in the European Mission Soil Week in Aarhus. Activities included group work sessions, the Project Trail showcasing results from EU Soil Mission projects, and the Living Labs ceremony, where all participating Living Labs were recognised with awards. During the event, the Basque Living Lab gave an interview to SOILL-Startup, presenting the project, the Living Lab, and the social, cultural, and natural context in which it operates. The discussion highlighted the Lab’s collaborative system, opportunities for new participants, and the challenges it addresses, inviting organisations to join its ongoing work in soil health.
Basque Living Lab hosts high-level delegation from China
On 11–12 November 2025, the Basque Living Lab welcomed a delegation from the Rural Energy and Environment Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (REEA, MARA). In collaboration with AgrotechUPC, the University of Vic, and Viladecans municipality, the visit focused on a co-creation approach to international collaboration on soil health, fostering knowledge exchange and exploring joint initiatives for sustainable land management. Read more about this visit here.
Baseline soil analysis progress
Preliminary results from the Living Lab baseline analysis are already providing valuable insights into the condition of soils at the experimental sites. Soil samples for the round robin test have also been sent to the respective laboratories and will soon help strengthen and validate the overall analysis results.
Sharing Living Lab experiences at KSLA
On 18 November 2025, KSLA (The Royal Forest and Farming Academy) invited the iCOSHELLs team to share experiences from working with Living Labs in both URSOILL and iCOSHELLs. Nargish Parvin delivered an in-person presentation at the academy, while Tora Råberg joined online. The session included a panel discussion aimed at inspiring more organisations to engage with the Living Lab concept.
Last chance to apply: iCOSHELLs Open Call for soil health innovations
The iCOSHELLs project has opened a call for innovative prototypes aimed at improving soil health across Europe. Selected applicants will join the iCOSHELLs network and test their solutions in real-life conditions within the six Living Labs in the Basque Country, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. The call provides up to €900,000 in funding, along with access to experimental sites, technical coaching, and networking opportunities. Prototypes can address regional challenges such as soil biodiversity, salinity reduction, circular restoration, sustainable viticulture, and erosion control. The Open Call is open until 4 February 2026, with projects starting in April–May 2026.
Find all the info: iCOSHELLs Project Launches Open Call to Boost Soil Health Innovation – iCOSHELLs
“No Life Without a Living Soil” Featured in illuminem
The Bulgarian and Basque Living Labs are in the spotlight! A new article on illuminem, shared thanks to ESCI, highlights the hands-on work of iCOSHELLs Living Labs across Europe, from co-creation with farmers to innovative soil management practices. Discover how our teams are tackling soil health challenges, combining science, collaboration, and real-world solutions, and why healthy soils are essential for a resilient planet.
Read the full article here: No life without a living soil – iCOSHELLs
Stay tuned for the next edition of HIGHLIGHTS, where we will continue to share stories of collaboration, innovation, and practical solutions from our Living Labs across Europe.
