Poetic Citizens' Assembly: four citizen plans to defend forests

4 min reading

Respect for life Territoires en transition Democratic transition

September 18, 2025

On August 29 and 30, 2025, the Jardin du Multilinguisme in Luxembourg-Kirchberg was transformed into a citizen laboratory with dozens of citizens, artists, activists, researchers and
institutional representatives gathered for a Poetic Citizens' Assembly, two intense days devoted to a crucial question: the place of trees and forests in our society.
Throughout the two days, participants were able to draw on a wide range of expertise and moments of collective dialogue. Voices from science, philosophy, urban planning and art. were presented, creating a mosaic of complementary viewpoints. Specialists such as forest guide Karen Decker, artist Mariette Schiltz, urban planner Sergio Carvalho, philosopher Pascal Ferren, arborist-climber Thomas Brail, ecofeminist researcher Asmae Ourkiya and legal expert Gaël Defins all contributed to the collective dialogue. Together, they addressed the tree as an ecosystem, a cultural and social heritage, a resource to be protected and a source of inspiration for rethinking our lifestyles.

These rich, multidisciplinary exchanges led to a common goal: to move from words to action. Thanks to a participatory and inclusive process, four action plans were drawn up to guide the next steps.

FOUR ACTION PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
At the end of the discussions, four concrete action plans were co-constructed with the participants:
Citizen defense movements Led by Thomas Brail (arborist & climber), this workshop was an opportunity to design a toolbox for
support citizens' mobilizations and raise their profile in the public arena and the media.

Perspective: acquiring a common forest
under the guidance of Nicolas Franka (economist), this plan explores the creation of a citizens' group
of purchasing, preserving and collectively managing a forest, based on models
cooperative and participative. Discussions focused on the establishment of local cooperatives, of
and a pilot project.

The legal dimension of forest protection
Led by Gaël Defins (jurist), this workshop explored existing and emerging legal levers for protecting living things, including recognition of the legal personality of forests and the fight against ecocide. The group proposed the drafting of a proclamation charter and the creation of governance entities to better defend forest rights.

Forest Linx
Led by Sophie Zuang and Dr. Ariane König (University of Luxembourg), this participatory and transformative science project explores the relationship between humans and forests. Participants
developed pedagogical approaches and digital tools to strengthen citizen involvement in forestry research.

A poetic and political moment
In addition to discussions, the Assembly featured songs, storytelling, shared meals and sensory workshops, reminding us that the ecological transition is built as much by imagination and creativity as by law and politics. "The tree is both individual and plural, a silent presence that shelters life. Rethinking our relationship with them means rethinking our society", affirmed the participants. This Assembly marked a decisive step forward: together, we laid the foundations for citizen, cultural, legal and scientific action in favor of the forests of Luxembourg and beyond.