SoilTribes Bootcamp #1 in Porto

On October 7-8, 2025, the very first SoilTribes Bootcamp was hosted in Porto, Portugal. A two-day co‑creation experience that brought together farmers, researchers, policymakers, artists, and community leaders from across Europe. Organized by the SoilTribes project in collaboration with its Community of Practice (CoP), the bootcamp marked a major milestone in reimagining how we understand, care for, and govern our soils.

Designed by Platoniq and hosted by Inova+, the Bootcamp guided participants through a dynamic process that blended imagination with practical problem‑solving. Over two days, challenge owners, contributors, and mentors worked together to develop actionable ideas for soil stewardship, regenerative land practices, and inclusive soil governance, aligning their efforts with EU priorities on soil protection and climate adaptation. They began by mapping shared threats and hopes, exploring the lived realities behind soil challenges, and reframing complex issues into missions that communities could act upon. Through collaborative governance exercises, they envisioned how institutions and local actors might share responsibility for soil care. 

They generated a portfolio of soil‑related initiatives that will continue to evolve, with all outputs shared on the SoilTribes Decidim platform for wider engagement and follow‑up. 

SoilTribes Bootcamp 1 strengthened democratic participation, expanded the network of soil stewards, and nurtured a shared commitment to caring for the land that sustains us. The journey continues in March, when the second SoilTribes Bootcamp will take place in Barcelona, building on the momentum created in Porto.