The Living Lab: A Model for Sustainable Land Management, Biodiversity, Engagement and Education

Dr Denise O’Meara; Tom Kent; John Geraghty; Shane Scannell; Sara Vero; Andrew Harrington; Dr David Ryan; Peter McLoughlin; Eleanor Kent

Submitted Case Studies

92 The Living Lab: A Model for Sustainable Land Management, Biodiversity, Engagement and Education

Dr Denise O’Meara; Tom Kent; John Geraghty; Shane Scannell; Sara Vero; Andrew Harrington; Dr David Ryan; Peter McLoughlin; and Eleanor Kent

Institution(s) and Partner Organisations

South East Technological University
ABP Food Group
Ballybeg Family Resource Centre
CALMAST – Bealtaine Living Earth Festival
Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM)
Eco-Innovation Research Centre (EIRC)
Grantstown Nurseries
Erasmus+ Networking and Training for Youth Workers
Irish Bee Conservation Project
The Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA)
Members of the Land Sciences Agri-Food Industry Board
Mount Congreve
National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC)
National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS)
National Technological University Transformation for Recovery and Resilience (N-TUTORR)
Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
Presentation Primary School
Seedtech
Solas Centre
Special Branch Carvers
St Paul’s Community School
Tomar Trust
Top of the City Community Garden
Waterford and South Tipperary Community Youth Service
Waterford Area Partnership
Waterford Comhairle na nÓg
Waterford City and County Council
Waterford Lions Club
Waterford Trees for Life
Xcelerate Centre

Description

The Living Lab at SETU Carriganore Campus is a long-term, evolving initiative that integrates sustainability into education, research, and community engagement, providing a practical model for sustainable land management. Aligned with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) frameworks, it fosters hands-on learning, applied research, and collaboration with industry and policymakers to drive real-world sustainability solutions.

Home to Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC), and an access point to the Waterford Greenway, the Living Lab serves as a multi-functional platform for teaching, research, and public engagement. Through experiential learning, it equips students with the skills and knowledge to address environmental challenges while supporting institutional sustainability policies and strategic goals. However, realising its full potential requires ongoing research, innovation, and investment.

As a registered land bank with DAFM, the Living Lab provides a demonstration site to trial and showcase sustainable agricultural practices, including agroforestry and regenerative land use. The establishment of biodiversity-friendly enhancements such as bat boxes, native honey bee conservation boxes and posts for habitat formation by solitary and mining bees at the site, show how small changes can improve sites for biodiversity. The Living Lab provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and serves as a case study farm, supporting educators, farmers, and policymakers in navigating Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms related to climate resilience and biodiversity conservation through applied research and practical demonstration.

Horticulture projects include planting pollinator-friendly species for translocation to the Greenway and SETU campuses, and developing a social and therapeutic garden at Carriganore House, specialising in cultivating medicinal plants using organic practices. In collaboration with Waterford Council, the Living Lab was also involved in the creation of a Biodiversity Hotspot along the Greenway, linking into St Declan’s Way, walking trail, forming one of the Greenway’s interactive biodiversity waypoints for citizen scientists https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b4a9beff84c41c2a173ece54795441d

The Living Lab is a research hub, supporting undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies in soil science, biodiversity conservation, and land management. Examples of ongoing research projects include the exploration of soil phosphorus dynamics, nutrient retention, and runoff processes, alongside biodiversity studies assessing the role of bats in ecosystem services using cutting-edge non-invasive genetic tools. Secure field sites and laboratory facilities enable applied, problem-solving research that contributes to evidence-based policy and industry practices.

Beyond research, the Living Lab fosters education and public engagement, embedding sustainability into teaching and outreach. Training workshops for Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science teachers provide hands-on field and laboratory experience, while MSc and undergraduate students apply soil, plant and biodiversity assessment and monitoring techniques in real-world contexts. Since 2021, tree planting projects such as the Native Irish Tree Trail and Ogham Tree Calendar have engaged students, secondary school groups, Erasmus+ volunteers, and industry teams, creating living, outdoor learning environments that reinforce biodiversity conservation and active citizenship.

As part of its Green Infrastructure and Community Engagement efforts, the Living Lab is transforming a historic coach house into a multipurpose sustainability hub, housing biodiversity laboratories for education, research, and outreach. The Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum, established in spring 2024, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together researchers, students, industry leaders, and policymakers to co-develop integrated sustainability solutions. Interest in the forum continues to grow, with engagement from the agri-food and biopharmaceutical industries, as well as academic and policy stakeholders such as Teagasc, Waterford Council, and DAFM. Similarly, engagement with the Land Sciences Agri-Food Industry Board enables local stakeholders to share insights and respond to emerging issues, many of which focus on sustainability.

The Living Lab requires long-term investment in sustainability, providing a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to ESD by embedding sustainability into research, teaching, and community-driven action. Continued collaboration, funding, and policy support will expand its impact, positioning it as a leading model for sustainability education and innovation both regionally and nationally.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Knowledge of Sustainable Practices – Understand and apply principles of agroforestry, habitat restoration, and sustainable land management.
Practical Skills Development – Gain hands-on experience in tree planting, native tree identification and cultivation, pollinator-friendly planting, habitat restoration, and soil productivity enhancement.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration – Engage with experts across forestry, horticulture, agriculture, biodiversity, and soil science.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement – Develop outreach skills through collaboration with schools, industry, and government bodies.
Research and Critical Thinking – Conduct biodiversity monitoring, field-based research, and sustainability assessments.
Pollinator, Native Plant and Wildlife Conservation – Learn about bat and bee box installation, pollinator habitats, native plant cultivation, and native species’ ecological roles.
Soil Health and Productivity – Apply soil science principles, including composting and regenerative land management.

Teaching and Learning Approach

Environmental Sustainability (E)

Students engage in sustainable land management through tree planting, hedgerow installation, agroforestry, and pollinator-friendly planting, contributing to biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Soil health and regenerative agriculture principles are applied to improve natural soil productivity.

Social Responsibility (S)

The initiative fosters inclusive education by engaging students at all levels, alongside local schools, industry, and community groups. The social and therapeutic garden will provide an accessible space for horticulture and wellbeing.

Governance and Policy Awareness (G)

Through the Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum, members explore how sustainability aligns with national and EU biodiversity strategies. Student-led research can contribute to evidence-based decision-making, and students in Land Sciences programmes gain the knowledge needed to engage with sustainability initiatives.

Assessment Strategy

Students complete field trip reports, documenting observations, data collection, and analysis to deepen their understanding of biodiversity, agroforestry, and sustainable land management practices. Applied assessments require students to evaluate on-farm biodiversity, agroforestry systems, and soil health, proposing evidence-based sustainability improvements. Research and project-based assessments provide real-world applications of sustainability concepts. As the initiative evolves, further opportunities will arise to develop research projects using the glasshouse and associated facilities.

While hands-on experience gained through the Living Lab is not always directly measured, its impact is reflected in exams, coursework, and professional development. To assess long-term outcomes, the Lab is developing an evaluation framework and will implement annual progress reports, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor impact and effectiveness, enabling strategic future development.

Impact and Outcomes

The Living Lab delivers significant benefits in student learning, community engagement, and climate action, reinforcing SETU’s commitment to sustainability and biodiversity. Students gain hands-on experience, applying these skills to real-world climate resilience challenges. The initiative fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging forestry, horticulture, agriculture, and biodiversity while advancing SETU’s strategic goals. Through the Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum, the Living Lab engages students, faculty, industry partners, and policymakers to co-develop sustainability solutions. Partnerships with local communities, schools, and environmental organisations support tree planting, habitat restoration, organic growing, and pollinator-friendly initiatives. The social and therapeutic garden at Carriganore enhances student research and community well-being. As an evolving project, it continues to expand through new biodiversity initiatives, habitat enhancements, and sustainable land-use practices.

Collaboration, Partnerships & Student Participation

The Living Lab thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration, student engagement, and partnerships with external stakeholders. Undergraduate, MSc, and PhD students actively engage in research, biodiversity enhancement, and outreach activities, integrating sustainable agriculture and landscape management into education through hands-on experience.

The Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum connects SETU faculty, staff, students, industry, and policymakers, fostering collaboration on environmental challenges. Partnerships with Waterford Trees for Life, forestry students, local schools, and community groups have led to tree planting, social gardening, and biodiversity projects, embedding sustainability within the wider community.

The Carriganore site is also home to several key facilities, including the SETU Xcelerate Centre, the Walton Institute, the SETU Sports Arena and the NBDC. Within this dynamic setting, the Living Lab serves as a bridge National between academic research, sustainable land use, and industry applications.

Student Engagement

– PhD Research Projects (Level 10): Current projects utilising the site (n = 3).
– MSc programmes in Organic and Biological Agriculture; Organic and Biological Horticulture an Sustainable Agri-food Systems, including those participating in stand alone 10 credit modules (Level 9) (over 300 since 2022 )
– Undergraduate Programmes: (n = 600)
o BSc (Hons) Agricultural Science (Level 8)
o BSc (Hons) Land Management (Level 8)
o BSc in Agriculture (Level 7)
o BSc in Horticulture (Level 7)
o BSc in Forestry (Level 7)
– School Outreach Initiatives, Youth reach, workplace outreach e.g. tree planting (n = 520)
– Biodiversity Walks e.g. Biodiversity and Heritage weeks e.g. pollinators, bat walks (n = 100)
– Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum (n = 120) (four meetings have involved the Living Lab to date)
– Secondary School Science Teacher upskilling (n = 60)

Programmes

BSc in Agriculture (Level 7)
BSc in Horticulture (Level 7)
BSc in Forestry (Level 7)
BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science (Level 8)
BSc (Hons) in Land Management (Level 8)
MSc in Organic and Biological Agriculture (Level 9)
MSc in Organic and Biological Horticulture (Level 9
MSc in Sustainable Agri-food Systems (Level 9)
PhD Research Projects (Level 10)
School Outreach (Engaging primary and secondary school students)

Disciplines

Agriculture Forestry, Fisheries and Veterinary
Education
Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics
Teaching and Learning

Best Practices & Resources

Top Tips

Volunteers and community groups tend to appreciate having a clear point of contact. Once that connection is made, we can facilitate links within the school or department. This can work both ways to help initiate projects.
The SETU Land Sciences Living Lab has evolved organically over the past number of years, led by members of SETU’s Land Sciences who have both professional and personal interests in its development. From our experience, we believe that fostering these personal interests is key to the sustained growth of the project. Going forward, it would be valuable if staff time and commitment could be formally recognised, helping to prevent burnout among those leading the efforts as the project expands.
Outreach initiatives such as the Land Sciences Biodiversity and Sustainability Forum and the Land Sciences Agri-Food Industry Board have been instrumental in the dissemination and ongoing development of the Living Lab, in collaboration with the local region and stakeholders.

Useful Resources

The Native Woodland Trust provides excellent information on native tree species, and can be a useful resource when planning a planting project https://www.nativewoodlandtrust.ie/
The National Biodiversity Data Centre provides excellent resources related to biodiversity maps, species guides and training and upskilling opportunities https://biodiversityireland.ie/
Developing links with local Biodiversity, Heritage and Climate Officers at County Councils is a useful first step in working collaboratively with local stakeholders to develop initiatives such as this. There are sometimes small grants available that may support collaborative opportunities. https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/our-work-with-others/biodiversity-officer-programme