The 2nd SoilTribes Bootcamp took place in Barcelona, marking a key stage in the incubation process of innovative initiatives for soil health. Organized by the Platoniq Foundation, the event brought together experts and local community leaders to work on the development of four selected challenges using co-creation methodologies.
The primary goal of the Bootcamp was intensive work in working groups on projects that have a real impact on ecosystem regeneration. The ERDN network actively participated in this process – Katarzyna Gizińska served as a mentor for the group dedicated to the “Cover your soil” challenge which is a combination of two other projects submitted during 1st Bootcamp in Porto:
- Regenerative Agriculture as a Solution to Erosion (Poland, leader: Przemysław Akuszewski, Korowód Association),
- Cover Crops for Wintering and Resilience (Romania, leader: Marius Cornel Mornea).
The mission of “Cover Your Soil” is to create a transdisciplinary network linking farmers, researchers, and local communities to co-design regenerative farming plans. Rooted in the idea of participatory bioregionalism, the project aims to build Living Labs. Through these, soil regeneration will be based on hard data and close international cooperation between Poland (Kłodzko Valley), Romania (Cluj region), and Spain (El Hierro island).
The team working on the “Cover your soil” task focused on the practical use of localized cover crop mixtures adapted to local conditions. These solutions aim to:
- Restore microbial life in the soil.
- Improve soil structure and increase water retention.
- Provide effective erosion control, especially in areas prone to degradation.
The solutions developed during the Bootcamp are going to be tested and implemented in three geographically diverse locations, allowing for the collection of a wide spectrum of data:
- Kłodzko Valley (Poland) – a region in Lower Silesia with specific topographical challenges.
- Cluj Region (Romania) – areas with high agricultural potential.
- El Hierro Island (Canary Islands, Spain) – a terrain with extreme climatic and soil challenges.
SoilTribes Commons Community
All project outcomes, including the “Cover Your Soil” LICGE project documentation, are available to a wide audience on the SoilTribes Commons platform (https://commons.soiltribes.eu). It serves as a knowledge hub for the “Community of Practice,” supporting the exchange of experiences and the implementation of proven solutions throughout the EU Soil Mission process.
We would like to thank the Platoniq Foundation for their excellent work as organizers and for providing a space for such fruitful collaboration – great job!
The next stage of our activities is planned for the 3rd Bootcamp in Grenoble, France in February 2027.
