CONE Living Lab in Tolkmicko – Nature, Education and Cooperation in Practice

The rain garden being developed at the Nicolaus Copernicus Primary School in Tolkmicko became a space for practical activities, education and local cooperation. As part of the CONE – Cities of Nature project, a Living Lab was held there, bringing participants together to work on the rain garden, while students took part in workshops focused on water, greenery and nature-based solutions.

Living Lab at the rain garden

The meeting took place at the Nicolaus Copernicus Primary School in Tolkmicko, where one of the Polish pilot activities of the CONE project – a rain garden – is being implemented.

The solution is designed to support local stormwater management, increase green space and demonstrate in practice how nature-based solutions (NBS) can help cities and local communities adapt to climate change.

During the meeting, representatives of the Town and Municipality of Tolkmicko, the Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic (STG ERB) and Gdańsk University of Technology presented the objectives of the CONE project, its pilot activities and the functions of the rain garden.

From knowledge to joint action

The practical part of the Living Lab provided an opportunity for participants to become directly involved. Together, they planted vegetation in the rain garden while learning about the role of the plants and their importance for the proper functioning of the system.

At the same time, students took part in co-creation workshops led by the Alternatywny Cypel Association. They discussed water, greenery and the space surrounding their school, exploring together how it could be shaped using nature-based solutions.

This combination of practical activities, education and collaborative development of ideas reflects the concept of a Living Lab – a space where solutions are developed with the active involvement of the local community and in response to the actual needs of a particular place.

NBS Working Group meeting

In parallel, a meeting of the NBS Working Group was held with representatives of STG ERB and the City of Wejherowo. The discussion focused on the activities carried out so far within the CONE project, including the pilot activities in Tolkmicko and Wejherowo.

The participants also discussed involvement in the COEE conference in Sopot, the project event in Padua, and opportunities to use and further develop the experience gained through future activities and initiatives related to nature-based solutions.

The Living Lab in Tolkmicko demonstrated the practical dimension of the CONE project – from implementing local solutions and education to engaging young people and exchanging experience among local authorities, experts and project partners.