Real Landscapes, Real Solutions: AICFD’s Living Labs for Healthy Soils

AICFD (International Association for Cooperation in Forestry and Development) is a non-profit organization coordinating and operating mission-oriented Living Labs in Mediterranean rural and mountain territories that are highly vulnerable to climate change, land degradation, and depopulation.

Through the Masada Living Lab (Spain), AICFD provides a real-life, year-round operational landscape where innovative solutions for soil health are co-designed, tested, monitored, and demonstrated under demanding pedo-climatic conditions. The Living Lab integrates agriculture, forestry, and extensive livestock systems and addresses key soil challenges such as loss of soil organic carbon, erosion, reduced water infiltration, biodiversity decline, and wildfire risk.

AICFD combines field-based experimentation, advanced soil and ecosystem monitoring, and digital tools (including soil indicators, Earth observation, and local digital twins) to translate research outputs into decision-ready solutions for land managers and public authorities. Particular emphasis is placed on measurable impacts, uncertainty-aware indicators.

Beyond soil restoration, AICFD actively explores soil–water–forest nexus solutions, contributing to climate adaptation, drought resilience, flood prevention, and water quality protection.

AICFD is seeking research institutions, technology providers, public authorities, NGOs, and regional actors interested in:

• Soil health Living Labs and Lighthouses

• Nature-based and low-impact land management solutions

• Carbon sequestration and climate resilience

• Digital monitoring, data integration, and decision-support tools

• Replication and scaling of Mission-aligned solutions across EU regions

We offer operational Living Lab capacity, strong territorial anchoring, experience in multi-actor coordination, and a clear focus on impact, replication, and long-term sustainability beyond individual projects.