FrenchDescription
Our Living Lab focuses on soil recovery by applying nature-based solutions for depollution, promoting desealing practices, and strengthening soil literacy among local stakeholders. Located in the Minett region – an urbanised area shaped by a strong industrial
heritage in iron mining and steel production – it operates within a landscape marked by both cultural richness and environmental challenges. As a designated redevelopment area, it faces legacy soil pollution that requires innovative and sustainable approaches as well as the avoidance of sealing practices. Through collaborative experimentation and community engagement, our Living Lab supports the restoration of healthy soils and the development of greener, more resilient urban environments.
Challenges
The Minett area faces degraded, sealed, polluted, compacted, or infertile soils – many impacted by the historic industrial past on Luxembourg, including the steel industry. Another key challenge is the coordination of the many stakeholders – from municipalities to landowners, from urban gardeners to researchers.
Possible Solutions
The Living Lab will test rehabilitation solutions such as biochar, compost, soil amendments to restore soil fertility, phytomanagement to manage contamination and innovative materials to deseal or avoid new sealing. Strong collaboration is central: municipalities, urban planners, soil experts, public administrations, land-owners, researchers, and local gardeners will all participate in workshops and co-creation activities to support successful implementation.
“In our site we have degraded soils […]that have problems like compaction. We will implement solutions like the adding of biochar, of compost, of amendments, phytomanagement to improve the soil quality. We will tackle the challenges through the co-creation processes. […] So not only with the technology providers, but all the actors involved in the society.”
Ana Espinoza, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), LL Lead Luxembourg
