On Wednesday, 25 March 2026, the fourth Regional Nodes workshop for the Achterhoek region took place in the Netherlands, hosted at the lighthouse farm Landgoed Velhorst in Lochem.

The session brought together 19 participants - 12 in person and 7 online - spanning a diverse mix of local stakeholders: landowners, farmers, foresters, urban and spatial planners, researchers, civil society organisations, local authorities, and representatives from the business and finance sectors.

At the heart of the day was a shared goal: to finalise the Soil Health Roadmap for the Achterhoek region. Together, participants worked through the practical side of putting the plan into action, giving particular attention to the role that relevant societal organisations can play in its implementation.

Two research talks ran alongside the roadmap discussions. Charlotte Wellink presented her transdisciplinary research on how compost tea affects crop drought resistance - a project shaped together with participants from the Regional Nodes workshop series. Assistant Professor Michiel in 't Zandt then spoke on why soil life matters for overall soil health, and shared updates on a major national research project on regenerative farming that involves him and several other workshop attendees.

The day closed with a guided excursion across the farm grounds.