Our World Soil Day event, Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities with Compost & Digestate, brought together experts and practitioners to explore how organic amendments can strengthen urban soils and support resilient cities. ECN was pleased to welcome a noteworthy audience, sparking lively discussions on the role of compost and digestate in sustainable urban land management.
Participants benefited from a series of informative and inspiring presentations. Aline Granjard set the scene with a state-of-the-art overview of soil-relevant EU policies, highlighting the growing policy focus on soil health. Practical perspectives followed: Johan Dahlenborg shared experiences on the use of digestate in cultivation at the Essunga Swedish nursery and for urban plantings, emphasising local material access. Laura Bianconi from Tecnogarden Service presented the Terra Viva project and the importance of high-quality compost for urban and peri-urban soils and communities. Vlaco’s Maxim Rooseleer concluded with insights into compost and digestate use in urban green spaces in Flanders, showcasing real-world applications and striking benefits.
You can find the presentation here in case you missed the event.
Building on the strong interest and valuable discussions from this year’s event, we are already looking ahead. The next World Soil Day event will further develop these conversations with a dedicated focus on soil compaction, an increasingly important challenge for healthy soils.