LivingSoiLL moves forward
AREFLH is a partner of LivingSoiLL – “Healthy Soil to Permanent Crops Living Labs”, an Horizon Europe project funded by the European Commission.
The project has entered a decisive stage in its mission to foster soil health and sustainability in permanent cropping systems. Following the definition of experimental sites, the consortium has successfully selected and characterized a set of Experimental Sites (EXPS) across its five Living Labs, marking the beginning of a comprehensive phase of baseline soil sampling and analysis.
More than 60 experimental sites have been established across Europe in the Luso-Galician, Andalusian, North-Western Italy – Piemonte, Loire Valley & Beaujolais, and Grójec (Poland) Living Labs.
Each site represents a unique agroecosystem (from vineyards and olive groves to apple orchards, chestnut and hazelnuts orchards) offering real contexts where science, practice, and local knowledge converge to co-create innovative soil management solutions.
At the time of writing, February 2026, soil sampling for the baseline assessment is underway across these sites, following the project’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure methodological consistency.
The collected samples are now undergoing analysis for a wide range of soil health indicators, including:
- Metagenomics
- General physical and chemical parameters, including nutrients
- Metal content
- Soil Organic Carbon
- Pesticide residues
- Erosion rate
These analyses will provide a robust baseline dataset for monitoring changes in soil health throughout the project. Tracking these parameters will allow researchers to evaluate the impact of innovative soil management practices on soil fertility, biodiversity, and resilience across different landscapes and production systems.
After the conclusion of the baseline, LivingSoiLL will move forward towards the implementation of experimental practices, bringing together farmers, researchers, and local stakeholders to co-develop and test strategies that regenerate Europe’s soils
Know more about the project
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Website : livingsoill.eu
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Instagram : @LivingSoiLL
- Join the Community of Practice by filling this questionnaire (6 languages available)
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You an also read all previous articles written by AREFLH on this project here
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement Nr. 101157502.