Living labs to enhance soil health in managed forests and in natural/semi-natural lands

support the establishment of four to five living labs to work together on shared soil health challenge(s) affecting either managed forests or natural/semi-natural types [8] . Proposals must clearly indicate which of one of these two land types they focus on. Living labs under each proposal should work on common soil health challenge(s) relevant to the selected land type. The living labs must be located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. Proposals should explain the rationale and mechanism for cooperation within and across the living labs and how the work undertaken will contribute to one or more of the Mission’s specific objectives 15 ;

establish an interdisciplinary, participatory and multi-actor approach in the living labs to co-design, co-develop, and co-implement locally adapted solutions (practices, tools, strategies, etc.) for the common soil health challenge(s) on managed forests or natural/semi-natural soils, taking into account relevant soil health drivers and pressures [9] . Proposed solutions should be adapted to the different environmental, socio-economic and cultural contexts in which the living labs are operating;

establish for each living lab a baseline of the soil conditions to allow for an accurate co-assessment of the changes in the different sites over time. Monitor improvements on soil health and related ecosystem services. The set of soil health indicators/descriptors presented in the proposal for a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience should be used as a basis. Proposals may complement with additional indicators tailored to the addressed soil health challenge(s), pedoclimatic conditions, and other local/regional factors within the chosen land use;

assess and demonstrate their technical, social, economic, cultural and environmental viability of the proposed solutions, as well as their potential scalability and transferability to diverse contexts;

identify high performing sites that may be converted into lighthouses, either at proposal stage or later, during the project implementation. Engage with SOILL [10] project to assess the growth and development of these lighthouses and to support the establishment of a labelling process that could formally recognize these exemplary sites as lighthouses;

propose strategies (e.g., financial, organisational) to ensure the long-term sustainability of the established living labs beyond the Horizon Europe funding. Strategies should include the identification of possible business models and actions involving a mix of public or private funding schemes, financial instruments, cooperation with local authorities, engagement of social economy entities, social enterprises, business communities, SMEs, as well as attracting investors and entrepreneurs.