The SOILCRATES Ireland Living Lab received visitors from Lithuania on 26 May 2026. These included representatives from Lithuanian Living Labs (Praviršulis Tyrelis LL, Žaliasis Raistas (Dabravolė) LL, Bukta Forest LL, Šimonių Giria LL); Foundation for Peatland Restoration and Conservation; State Forest Enterprise of Republic of Lithuania; Vytautas Magnus University; State Service for Protected Areas under the Ministry of Environment of Republic of Lithuania; Community Association “Around Žasliai” and 2 Lithuanian farmers. Additional guests included Jonathan Etzold, NABU (Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union Senior expert wetlands, National Coordinator LIFE “Multi Peat”; and 2 researchers from Data Science Institute (DSI) – University of Galway.
The group visited a number of locations within the Ballyhoura region. Many thanks to Rhiannon Laubach for providing an overview of Ballyhoura Development CLG community engagement activities with local farmers: Carmel O’Sullivan for providing an overview of the soil enhancement experiments being undertaken on her farm as part of the SOILCRATES EU Horizon Europe project; Ballyhoura Heritage and Environment CLG for providing an overview of their conservation activities on Griston Bog; and to Marian Clarke from Ballyhoura Rural Services who provided a tour of Doon Social Farm, a lighthouse site within the SOILCRATES-Ireland Living Lab. This knowledge exchange was very beneficial for progressing our Living Labs journey, on the warmest May day recorded in Ireland.
