The project is concreted in the start-up of a pilot farm, an 80-hectare farm located in the region of La Garrotxa, 40 km north of Girona (Catalonia, Spain). Currently, thanks to the co-financing of the LIFE program of the European Commission, the Polyfarming system, which combines the resources of the forest, livestock and crops to recover fertile soil, is implemented in Planeses to restore the farm activity.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: POLYFARMING
Financing: A project co-financed by the LIFE Program of the European Commission
Target: Climate change

 

Objectives:

The objective of the project is to demonstrate the interest of a new plurifunctional agro-silva-pastoral integrated management system as an alternative of profitable management to fight against the problem of the abandonment of agriculture in Mediterranean mountain areas and the environmental (soil degradation, vulnerability to climate change, loss of biodiversity) and socio-economic consequences (territorial imbalances, loss of productive capacity of the territory) that this abandonment is producing

Activities:

Intensive controlled grazing: the meadow is divided into plots of a similar size and the animals are moved every day from the plot they are in to another one that is at the optimum grazing point.
Agrosilviculture:  combining fruit trees and orchards with pastures and animals. Cultivated plants are accompanied by weeds that, when cut, are left in the soil to decompose and thus improve soil fertility.
Training actions for producers: Free manual, informative videos and replication sessions
Dissemination and communication: Social media, news, and events organized by Polyfarming

Results:

After three years of applying the regenerative model in the Planeses orchard, the results indicate that the farm orchard is able to sequester up to 30 times more CO2 per year than the conventional model: and grazing also increases CO2 capture threefold compared with natural pastures.
In three years the organic matter in the soil of the orchard multiplied by two and and the capacity to retain water increased by up to 20%.
The Polyfarming project pilot farm, Planeses, was an abandoned farm before implementing the regenerative model. Today it is a project that eight people work on and has recovered the farm’s agricultural and livestock activity.
Polyfarming project offers a free manual and downloadable sheets so that any producer can apply the different techniques proposed.
Polyfarming has also produced informative videos of the Polyfarming system and the techniques it applies
Training courses: The organisation of these training courses is carried out by the two partners of the project, CREAF and PLANESES

Location:

Spain

The project is developed in La Rioja, Aragon and Catalonia, covering diverse bioclimatic conditions from the subhumid Mediterranean of the Pyrenees to the submediterranean mid-mountains of the Iberian Mountain Range.
Adaptation measures are implemented in pilot areas of the three regions with diversity of environmental and socioeconomic characteristics that facilitate transfer capacity of results to other mountainous regions from southern Europe.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: MIDMACC
Financing: LIFE Program
Target: Climate change

 

Objectives:

Promotes adaptation through the implementation and testing of different landscape management measures to meet climate change related challenges in marginal mid-mountain areas of Spain (La Rioja, Aragón and Catalonia), while improving their socioeconomic development.

Activities:

Risk prevention in Requesens, Catalonia: The scrubland has been cleared, the trunks and branches have been extracted and the logging residues have been removed. Subsequently, a mixture pasture seeds has been randomly sowed to recover pastures under the forest area and an old pasture field (about 3 hectares) has been recovered

Risk prevention in La Garcipollera, Aragón: different assays will be carried out over 4 years: (i) different cows number will be introduced in the different plots; (ii) soil measurements will be taken before and after extensive livestock activity; (iii) vegetation samplings will be carried out also before and after extensive livestock activity; (iv) seasonal rainfall simulations; and (v) temperature and humidity and soil moisture will be continuously measured in the different plots.

Adaptation measures in the vineyard, Catalonia: use of different agronomic practices such as green soil coverage, slope management (terraces) or training systems, while maintaining a high level of competitiveness and quality. In Catalonia, this pilot experience is carried out in three vineyards belonging to Celler Espelt (Roses, Alt Empordà), Celler cooperatiu d’Espolla (Espolla, Alt Empordà) and Llivins (Llívia, Cerdanya)

Results:

Forest management for fire risk prevention in Requesens, Catalonia and La Garcipollera, Aragón
Scrubland clearing in Aragon and La Rioja
Vineyard assays in La Rioja and Catalonia

Location:

Spain

The Atlantic Area presents high exposure to climate change. Increased intensity and frequency of storms, altered hydrological cycle and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have implications for the agriculture sector. However, there are still huge uncertainties in the way climate change will directly and indirectly affect agricultural and food systems. the Risk Aqua Soil will contribute to a better coordination for the detection, risk management and rehabilitation for rural territories (maritime and land areas), associated to risks of natural, climate and human origin. It will also ensure articulation with national, regional and local policies.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: RISK-AQUASOIL
Financing: Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund
Target: Multi-hazard

 

Objectives:

The RiskAquaSoil project aims to develop a comprehensive management plan for risks in soil and in water to improve the resilience of the Atlantic rural areas. Through transnational cooperation, the Project partners will fight the adverse effects of climate change, especially on agricultural lands.

Activities:

A study of Iberian media coverage on climate change: This study was conducted through four main steps regarding its design: 1) definition of a research equation, 2) definition of a time frame, 3) selection of most relevant news, and 4) quantitative content analysis
Analyze in depth 1609 news published between 2017 and 2018 in five European countries
Monitoring program: implemented in catchments with sizes between 20 km2 and 160 km2 in areas 60%–99% burnt. For each catchment a gauging point was selected near the mouth of the river. These 5 gauging points were assessed monthly, starting one month after the fire, in November 2017, and ending in June 2018. In each campaign stream water was sampled for laboratory analysis and in-situ physical-chemical proprieties were measured.

Results:

A national framing – especially focused on the severe drought experienced in both countries and its subsequent impacts on agriculture – a non-democratic debate and a non-proactive discourse characterized the Iberian news.
2017 rural fires in Portugal caused a burnt area, greater than 400 ha, affected the characteristics of surface waters and  noticeable water changes in turbidity, aluminium, iron and manganese were accessed.
 The European media tends to report climate change by using distant (e.g., future-focused) and outcome (e.g., threatening messages) framings, based on non-resilient, scientific, and political narratives, whilst overlooking the role of civil society on adapting to climate change.

Location:

Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, The United Kingdom

The silviculture method developed during the project has
been applied on 164 ha of mixed sub-humid Mediterranean
forests: holm oak forests, chestnut forests, oak forests
and pine forests, in four geographical areas in Catalonia
(northeast Spain).

Inglés
Some information:

Project: MIXFORCHANGE
Financing: LIFE Programm
Target: Climate change

Objectives:

The main aim of the Project is to contribute to the adaptation to climate change of European  Subhumid Mediterranean mixed forests by increasing their resilience, ensuring their conservation and enhancing their productive, environmental and social functions.

Activities:

A total of 27 Actions will be implemented, from Preparatory to Management and project progress monitoring activities.
Implementation of innovative management schemes in forests dominated by Quercus ilex subsp. ilex, Castanea sativa, oaks (Quercus petraea, Q. pubescens, Q. canariensis) and Pinus sp, in a total of 164 ha.
Developing new tools to improve the economics of Subhumid Mediterranean forest management.
Tools to integrate the adaptation of Sub-humid Mediterranean forests to climate change into the policy and legal framework. Vulnerability models, technical and policy guidelines, review and adaptation of legal framework.
Evaluation of the ecological and silvicultural effects of the innovative forest models, and of the socioeconomic impact of the project.

Results:

Training and capacity building actions
Ecological, dasometric and socioeconomic assessment methodology
Climate change vulnerability maps
A series of actions aimed at promoting the adoption of the silvicultural principles developed in the project in new areas and forests:
Technical manual - Adaptive and close-tonature management in mixed sub-humid Mediterranean forests (2022)
Protocol for the ecological assessment of the demonstrative silvicultural interventions
Protocol for the silvicultural assessment of forest interventions
Protocol for standing timber quality assessment of valuable broadleaf species (2020)

Location:

Spain

The project proposes starting eight regional pilot experiences based on the combination of guided herbivory and initial techniques to reduce fuel through controlled burns. All the experiences seek to offer innovative solutions that guarantee the economic feasibility of the commitment and can serve as an example and training for the execution of similar initiatives at local and regional level.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: OPEN2PRESERVE
Financing: Project financed 75% by the European Regional Development Fund
Target: Wildfires

 

Objectives:

The main objective of the OPEN2PRESERVE project is to connect current interdisciplinary scientific knowledge with technology and practical operation, in order to implement and assess combined techniques that guarantee the preservation of the ecosystem services linked to open spaces with high natural value.

Activities:

Samplings for the calibration of surface vegetation (phytovolume)
Drone flights to measure the phytovolume of the shrub mass before controlled burning
Phytovolume sampling in the field
Detailed monitoring of soil and vegetation and control of the state of growth and welfare of grazing animals during the experience
Equine in directed grazing monitored by GPS

Results:

The traditional management of domestic herbivores in western Pyrenees, characterized by a mixed grazing of sheep, cattle and horses, with limited animal guidance and stocking rates ranging from 1 to 3 LU·ha−1· 6 months−1, is adequate to preserve the high diversity and ecological value of grasslands, preventing the cascade of divergent degradative processes that occur in the total absence of herbivory

Location:

Portugal, Spain and France

Early detection of forest fires and reliable and robust communication and geolocation systems between firefighting brigades and between those brigades and coordination centres are fundamental to ensuring rapid and efficient intervention that
minimizes not only the damage caused by fires but also the cost of extinguishing
them.

Inglés
Some information:

LIFETEC
Financing: European Commission within the LIFE programme.
Target:  Wildfires

Objectives:

LifeTEC aims at improving forest fire fighting using Electronic and Communications Technologies to reduce the detection time of forest fires and to improve the efficiency of the fighting forces ensuring commnications and geolocation

Activities:

Real-time monitoring of atmospheric refractivity was carried out by using measurements provided by the meteorological radars in Cuntis, in Galicia, operated by Meteogalicia, and in Arouca, in Portugal, operated by the IPMA.
Several prototypes have been developed of the TETRA-based communications and location system. Other communications systems are not needed (telephone networks, WiFi, etc.). The firefighters of the brigade in the Deza and Tabeirós districts of Terra de Montes have tested the prototype of the geolocation system that has been developed.

Results:

A method for the early detection of forest fires by weather radars
A management system based on TETRA and Android for the real time geolocation of firefighting resources

Location:

Portugal and Spain

All reports on the state of Europe’s forests indicate that the broad Mediterranean area is systematically affected by uncontrolled forest fires with large impact on ecosystems, soil erosion, slope instability, desertification trends, and local economies as a whole, whit a negative mid-to-long term prospect because of Climate Change. In this scenario, the need to improve the information and the intelligence support to forest fire prevention is widely recognized to be relevant. Fire prevention is still the most cost-effective strategy when compared to firefighting and extinguishing that are costly, local, and triggered only in response to already ongoing crises

Inglés
Some information:

PREFER
Financing: European Community's Seventh Framework Programme ([FP7/2007e2013]) under G. A. nr. 312931.
Target: Wildfires

Objectives:

The main purpose of the FP7 PREFER project is to set up a space-based service infrastructure and up-to-date cartographic products, based on remote sensing data, to support the preparedness, prevention, recovery and reconstruction phases of the Forest Fires emergency cycle in the European Mediterranean Region

Activities:

The products developed were based on the exploitation of data from the Copernicus space
infrastructure, and the integration of different data types from a variety of sources, such as earth observation, digital terrain models, socioeconomic data, meteorological data and in-situ data

Results:

A set of cartographic tools in Mediterranean Europe:
Preparedness/prevention service phase: Fuel map, fuel reduction map, prescribed fire map, daily fire hazard map, seasonal fire hazard map, vulnerability map and economic value, seasonal risk map.
Recovery/reconstruction service phase: Post-fire recovery vegetation map, damage severety map, 3D fire vegetation volume loss map, burned scar map

Location:

Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece

In the Mediterranean region, social vulnerability and the cost of civil protection actions are intensified by the increasing risk of forest fires affecting urban and peri-urban areas due to land use changes and climate change

Inglés
Some information:

Project: eFIRECOM
Financing: Co-funded by ECHO - Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection 2015-2016
Total budget: 498.324 (75% EU contribution)

Objectives:

eFIRECOM aims at enhancing the resilience of citizens to wildfires, through effectively promoting and increasing awareness and participation on the culture of risk with updated knowledge and best practices.

Activities:

Review on tools and best practices on wildfire risk communication;
Specific development of communication programs and tools per each target audience and regional context;
Knowledge capitalization and transfer tools

Results:

Development of a communication toolkit for the capacity building of citizens and communities towards wildfire risk prevention, adapted to three target audiences: i) Communities and municipalities, ii) Scholars, youths and their teachers, iii) Journalists and media professionals.
Edition and dissemination of operational and strategic recommendations for the improvement of the communication on risk and reduction of social vulnerability to wildfires in Mediterranean areas, transferred to the relevant authorities.

Location:

 Interface areas from the Mediterranean region (Spain, France, Tunisia, Algeria)

Sustainable project improves the sustainability of mountain refuges, through the integration of renewable energies in 12 huts of 4 European countries

Inglés
Some information:

Project: LIFE SUSTAINHUTS
Financing: European Union LIFE Program 2016-2021
Total budget: 1.976.885

Objectives:

This project aims to reduce CO2 emissions in natural environments acting in huts by implementing novel and original renewable energy based solutions

Activities:

Preparatory actions;
Purchase/lease of land;
Implementation actions (no actions in SUSTAINHUTS);
Monitoring of the impact of the project actions;
Communication and dissemination of results;
Project management

Results:

Expected results: To achieve a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 10 tonnes per year and hut, as well as nitrogen oxides in 0.06 tonnes per year and hut. It is also expected to reduce in up to 15 per year the helicopter flights required to supply the fuel to the huts.

Location:

The 12 mountain huts linked to SustainHuts are located in Spain (6), Slovenia (3), France (1) and Italy (1).

This project provided forest managers and owners and institutional officials with a series of indicators regarding the impacts of climate change on Pyrenean forest stands: monitoring of the phenology of the various forest species found in the Pyrenees, changes in defoliation and distribution according to climatic area.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: CANOPEE
Financing: POCTEFA INTERREG 65% of FEDER co-financing 2016-2019
Total budget: 926.693,61

Objectives:

The main objective is to ensure, the long-term future of the current and future goods and services provided by the forest ecosystems in the Pyrenees.

Activities:

OBSERVE: understand the effects of climate change on Pyrenean forests and use this knowledge as a decision-making tool;
DIAGNOSE: changes in the distribution of forest species found in the Pyrenees and diagnosis of the vulnerability of Pyrenean forests with respect to climate change;
ACT: propose and implement appropriate measures to help vulnerable areas adapt to the effects of climate change.

Results:

Improve our understanding of the effects of climate change on Pyrenean forests as a decision-making tool;
Develop tools for diagnosing the vulnerability of Pyrenean forests with respect to climate change;
Put together a set of forestry adaptation measures to cope with climate change in the most vulnerable areas.

Location:

Pyrenean forests (France and Spain)

Urban Klima 2050 is the Basque Country's most significant climate action project for the next few years. This project operates in the three main Basque cities, as well as in other urban and rural municipalities (Spain) and it will have an impact on 7.234 km2 on 2.164.311 people

Inglés
Some information:

Project: LIFE-IP URBAN KLIMA 2050
Financing: European Union LIFE Program 2019-2025
Total budget: 19.891.201

Objectives:

The strategy proposes actions aimed both at adaptation, making changes in the territory, towns, infrastructure, etc. in order to mitigate the consequences of climate change, and at climate change mitigation, proposing measures that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Activities:

Analyse: Review of the KLIMA 2050 strategy and roadening the climate risk analysis in the Basque Country;
Define: Establisment of guidelines for planning; Integration of climate change into territorial and urban planning; Integration of climate change into sectorial policies
Act: Pilot projects at three levels of intervention:
1) Design and implement Nature-Based Soulitions (NBS) at the municipal level and implementing seven pilot projects to improve resilience in the local area, and also pilot projects on different sources of renewable energy;
2) Implementing NBS in several rivers in all three territories to prevent future flooding
3) Implementing tools to prevent risks in coastal areas and a pilot project in Zarauts; Conducting a strategic analysis of the current condition of seaports in the Basque Country and ttheir climate risk;
Empower: Driver the commitment and empowerment of the population; Promoting the empowerment of the administration;
Manage: Building structures for climate governance.

Results:

One of the results was the inventory, cartography, classification and description of the NBS. The catalog includes: 79 interventions in urban and suburban parks, streets, squares and streams, on a surface of 440 ha. Some of the most frequent actions are: tree-planting streets and squares, the application of sustainable gardening techniques, the creation of lamination ponds and avenue channels, the installation of orchards and urban forests, the conditioning of green itineraries.
Potentital map of NBS of Donostia/San Sebastian;
Study of electric and bicycle-specific mobility - Nervión Linear Park and Zadorra Green Route;
Analysis of the state of the art on empowerment and commitment of the population

Location:

This project operates in the three main Basque cities, as well as in other urban and rural municipalities (Spain)

Greater knowledge of the international hydrographic demarcation, the establishment of mechanisms for the joint management of droughts and early warning against floods will allow greater preparation and response capacity in the territory against them.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: RISC_ML
Financing: INTERREG V-A Spain - Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020
Total budget: 1.764.705

Objectives:

RISC_ML aims to better understand the Miño-Limia international river basin district, improve drought management mechanisms and establish an early warning system to assess the real risk of flooding

Activities:

1) Analysis of the basin at the geographical and hydrological level;
2) Drought plan for the international demarcation of Miño-Limia;
3) New early warning system against floods in the international demarcation;
4) Basin control system and natural retention measures against flooding.

Results:

Activity 1
New mapping of the international demarcation
Hydrological modelling for the international demarcation considering climate change for the periods 2011-2040, 2041-2070 and 2070-2100
Modelling of water resources management in the river basin district
Activity 2
Databases of drough indices on meteorological data measured in situ and another based on products derived from satellite images
Reliable indicator system fully adapted to the area of study and design of state indexes
Joint technical drought plan for the entire International Demarcation of Miño-Limia
Activity 3
Improvement of available data
Modeling and station database
Flood early warning system for the entire International Demarcation
Activity 4
Real-time hydrometeorological and water quality monitoring stations with communication systems in the Miño-Limia river basins
New communications and data storage system for the international demarcation
Projects for natural retention measures in the face of floods

Location:

Rivers Miño and Limia in Spain and Portugal

GreenRisk4ALPs facilities risk-based protective forest management as part of na integrated and ecosystem-based natural hazard risk management in the Alpine Space

Inglés
Some information:

Project: GREENRISK4ALPS
Financing: INTERREG Alpine Space 2018-2021
Total budget: 2.412.601

Objectives:

GreenRisk4ALPs project aims to overcome conflicts and resistances with new risk mitigation alternatives and science-based communication support; to implement innovative ecosystem-based risk management for natural hazards and to create protective forest books

Activities:

Main activities
WP1 - PRONA: New tools on Protective forest and natural hazard assessment: The goal of this activity was to collect, review and summarize the available research and information on protective forests and their management and to discuss the interactions between climate, forest and natural hazards changes;
WP2 - ACTINA: Actors involvement and network analysis: The objectives were to provide the socio-economic foundation for an ecosystem-based risk management in the Alpine Space by considering the increase of risks from natural hazards;
WP3 - DORA: Decision oriented risk assessment: The main objective of DORA was to introduce an innovative ecosystem-based risk mitigation concept;
WP4 - ACRI: Acceptance raising for ecosystem-based risk control measures: To increase the awareness of political, economic, and social factors for ecosystem-based solutions for risk mitigation and mangement on multiple levels;
WP5 - RIGOR: Risk governance support: To provide recommendations and concepts for improving harmonized and efficient ecosystem-based natural hazard risk governance in the Alpine Space.

Results:

WP1 - The main output is the PROTECTIVE FOREST ASSESSMENT TOOL (FAT) - a new decision support tool for risk-based forest management;
WP2 - The outcome is an Alpine-wide map of decision structures of involved and relevant actors;
WP3 - One of the results is the risk analysis and the strategy priorisation;
WP4 - Road map for a multiple actor and decision targeted information process;
WP5 - A summary presentation of concepts for overcoming national barriers and constraints of ecosystem-based risk management as well as our two PROTECTIVE FOREST BOOKS

Location:

Kranjska Gora (Solvenia)
Val Ferret (Italy)
The Southern Wipptal (Italy)
Oberammergau, Bavaria (Germany)
Gries am Brenner/Vals (Austria)
Parc des Baronnies (France)

LIFE AMDRYC4 presents a new approach to promote natural solutions for the adaptation to climate change of dryland agricultural systems in the Mediterranean area.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: LIFE AMDRYC4
Financing: European Union LIFE Program 2017-2022
Total budget: 1.863.729

Objectives:

The main objective is the promotion of resilience to dryland agriculture climate in Mediterranean areas and its sustainable, intelligent and integrated management, as a basic tool for adapting to climate change based on ecosystems (EbA) and strengthening its mitigating role as carbon sinks.

Activities:

The project actions contemplated in the project are carried out in 4 experimental plots located in different points of the Region of Murcia:
a) Preparatory actions;
b) Implementation actions;
c) Monitoring of the impact actions;
d) Communication and dissemination of results;
e) Project management.

Results:

Some expected results:
Guidelines for the application of accountability methodologies for carbon and ecosystem services for climate change mitigation;
Carbon sequestration models;
CO2 sequestration activities related to management of dryland farming soils in the Mediterranean area increased at the rate of 20 tonnes, achieving a total removal of CO2 estimated at 1 000 tonnes during the project;
Twenty companies and institutions voluntarily implementing measures of calculation, reduction and offsetting their carbon footprint;
Voluntary agreements catalysing an offsetting market for carbon and ecosystem services;
Reduced soil loss by 9-48 tonnes per year.

Location:

El Moralejo (Caravaca de la Cruz)
Xiquena (Lorca)
Nogalte (Lorca)
Corvera (Murcia)

LIFE Montado-Adapt is a project to promote the adaptation of the Montado/Dehesa system in Portugal and Spain. The project support the owners and managers of land in the implementation of the Integrated Land Use (ILU).

Inglés
Some information:

Project: LIFE Montado-Adapt
Financing: LIFE Porgram 2014-2020
Total budget: 3.439.746

Objectives:

The main objective is to mitigate the consequences of climate change, increasing the sustainability at an economic, social and environmental level

Activities:

The process of development of the Integrated Land Use has 11 steps:
(1) Evaluation of pilot areas; (2) Definition of indicators and current situation; (3) Development of the ILU systems; (4) Training of owners/partners; (5) Implementation of ILU in the 12 pilot areas; (6) Cooperation considering market; (7) Replication - Development of ILU in other interested properties; (8) Implementation of certifications in the pilot areas; (9) Marketing for products coming from the ILU; (10) Evaluation of results; (11) Recomendations to public policies and widespread dissemination

Results:

The 1st group of expected results consists in: Establishment of Integrated Land Use systems on 1250 hectares;  a 10% improved presence of indicator species for bird species and butterflies and a restored plant diversity and structural complexity matching habitat requirements for the Iberian Lynx; at least least 8 viable income sources for domestic and international markets, 150 Euro per hectare (or 300%) farmer income increase, an employment increase of 1 FTE per 10 hectares and an overall IRR increase to at least 6 %; Carbon sequestration increase of 1 ton CO2-e per hectare.
The snd group of expected results consists in: Established/Inclusion of self-supporting commercial company; 11 project partners trained as promoters; Signed at least 10 cooperation agreements with commercial partners; Preparation of Group Certification Process; Created synergies with public and private entities; Created networks for dissemination.

Location:

Spain, Portugal

From the need to revitalize a set of traditional agricultural structures, an ambitious project emerged within the Mediterranean countries, to make known the importance of terraces. Agricultural terraces are structures that allow man to develop agricultural activities in the most inhospitable places. At the same time, they prevent the triggering of earth movements on slopes, through soil permeability

Inglés
Some information:

Project: TERRISC
Financing: 75% FEDER 2002-2006
Total budget: 826.500

Objectives:

This project aimed to study agricultural terraces and assess their degree of degradation, in order to provide each municipality in the study area with elements that can enable them to justify and act in the revitalization of these regions.

Activities:

Experimentation and inventory of six hydrographic basins, spread over the municipalities of Oliveira do Hospital, Arganil and Seia.
The inventory of the terraces was carried out using military maps from the Instituto Geográfico do Exército, aerial photographs from 1958 and orthophotomaps from 2004, which allowed the vectorization of the terraces to be carried out using the ArcGis 9.1 software.
Erosion plots were also installed, where samples of material from the runoff were periodically collected, which were subject to laboratory treatment. Each plot has a standardized area of 2.5 m2.
The main components of the erosion plot are a collection chute that stores the solid material, a scale limnigraph and a totalizer, capable of storing 30 liters of runoff water.
Finally, meteorological stations were installed in each of the municipalities, with continuous readings, at 30-minute intervals.

Results:

The project presents the following management measures:
Prevention: Immediate reforestation of perimeters under public administration, favoring native or edaphoclimatically adapted species; Compartmentalization of space through the introduction of forest management (DFCI infrastructure) throughout the area; Encouraging private landowners to reorganize and clean their forests.
Preservation: Creation of a professional masonry training course; Restoration of some built heritage; Development of routes of ethnographic interest; Olive oil routes with the recovery of mills; Mountain gastronomy routes, through the valorization of regional products; Identification of the main trails traveled in the past by shepherds with their cattle.
Itinerary: A set of tourist routes was developed that include the Protected Landscape of Serra do Açor and the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. This route is intended to encourage tourists to travel along these paths and thus contribute to revitalizing these regions and boosting the local economy.

Location:

Six sub-basins belonging to the hydrographic basins of the Alvoco river and the Pomares stream, located in the municipality of Arganil, in the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital and in the municipality of Seia.

The Pyrenees, a mountain range stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean  is particularly vulnerable to climate change. PIRAGUA addresses the characterisation of the hydrological cycle in the Pyrenees in order to improve the adaptation capacity of the territories to the challenges imposed by climate change and to support the investment aimed at adapting water resource management to climate change.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: PIRAGUA
Financing: INTERREG V-A Spain - France - Andorra (POCTEFA) 2018-2020
Total budget: 1.848.430,55

Objectives:

The main objective of the project is to improve the adaptation of territories to climate change. The specific objectives are:
To characterize the surface and groundwater resources of the Pyrenees and to evaluate the FUTURE water resources on the basis of projections of climate change and future water uses;
Quantify the impact on surface and groundwater resources of the main economic activities in the Pyrenean territory, and explore adaptation options;
Promote knowledge dissemination of the impacts of climate change on water resources among the population and collaboration with the agencies responsible for water resources management in the POCTEFA territory.

Activities:

Territorial and organizational approach:  Coordination of information, tools and conceptual framework for the integral and cross-border management of water resources;
Technological approach: Different technological challenges (simulation tools and scenarios, etc). The case studies deal with innovative adaptation actions in specific contexts of water and land management.

Results:

PIRAGUA will provide results on the scale of the Pyrenees (2 global studies and 1 common strategy), as well as results on a local scale (7 case studies). It will associate the local and regional stakeholders with the basin organizations, so that their results are likely to benefit the whole territory.

Location:

French–Spanish–Andorran border.

The project stems from the need to improve access between France and Andorra and seeks to promote the sustainable development of the border territory between Spain, Andorra and France

Inglés
Some information:

Project: SAPYRA
Financing: INTERREG V-A Spain - France - Andorra (POCTEFA) 2014-2020
Total budget: 4.336.614,69

Objectives:

The objective is to reduce the intensity and frequency of the avalanche phenomena that threaten the Pyrenean accesses in Andorra and France

Activities:

The project is carried out in three phases:
Technical studies;
Implementation;
Mounting
The project also uses three interventions:
Active protection - to prevent avalanches
Passive protection - to deflect avalanches
warning devices
Activities to finish the project:
Identification of landslide exit zones based on the analysis of the topographical characteristics of the corridor;
Prioritization of the outlet areas to be treated according to the frequency and intensity of historical landslides observed in the corridor (50 years);
Dimensioning of the structures and their height according to the nivological context of the corridor.

Results:

The H4 corridor is the most important work of the project, avalanche risk prevention work was carried out between Hospitalet and Andorra by the H4 Sapyra Project;
Environmental study in the work area;
Projected new protection works in the H2 avalanche corridor on the RN-20;
Installation of battens in corridors Pe9 (Porté Puymorens) and Pan13 (Puerta), where about 400 ml are installed;

Location:

Spain, France, Andorra

INUNDATIO monitors, in real time, the headwaters of rivers and torrents, where the behavior of meteorological phenomena is less predictable. Three pilot cases have been chosen to represent the three climatic areas of the Sudoe territory (oceanic, Mediterranean and high mountain). 

Inglés
Some information:

Project: INUNDATIO
Financing:  INTERREG VB South West Europe 2019-2022
Total budget: 1.427.000

Objectives:

This project aims to create a system, based on new technologies and big data, monitoring the headwaters of the river basins, through sensors, which will gather hydrometeorological information, to control in real time the river flow or the rain forecast. The information will be transferred to a platform that will additionally offer simulations of possible risk scenarios.

Activities:

Development of the methodology for collecting data from watershed headwaters;
Definition of the methodology for the analysis of watershed headwaters data;
Monitoring of the Veneno Claro basins in in Navaluenga (Ávila), Ribeira das Vinhas (Serra de Sintra, Cascais), Gave de Pau Amont and Nive (French Basque Country);
Definition of action mechanism in the face of catastrophes

Results:

It is expected the creation of a model that can be replicated and scalable throughout the SUDOE territory for managing flash floods in headwaters of basins, which will include:
Method of geomorphological and hydrological representation of the headwaters of the basin supported by GIS tools;
Flood prevention plans adapted to climate change;
Risk analysis tool through real-time data collection;
Flood scenario projection tool with impact assessment;
Protection plans in the event of flooding;
Reconstruction plans updated to the techniques of restoration of historic buildings;
Recommendations to increase resilience

Location:

Portugal, Spain, France

Floods are Climate Change phenomena that most people affect in the Atlantic Area. In the EU costs overpass 1,500 lives and 52,000 M€ over the past 20 years.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: AA-FLOODS
Financing:  INTERREG VB Atlantic Area 2014-2020
Total budget: 2.483.642

Objectives:

The overall objective is to reduce humn and material damages due to flooding by improving the tools of Prevention, Alert and Crisis Management the Local Scale

Activities:

Prevention: It begins with a analisys of the Atlantic Area policies against Floods, then development of procedures and regulations for the coordination between urban planning and risk prevention, improve local communities resilience, Pilot 1 – Torrential Rains RunOff at Local Scale and Local Action Plans for Flood Prevention & Emergency Management;
Early warning: Development Protocols to access Early-Alerts EFAS / COPERNICUS data and Pilot 2 – Rivers overflow early warning System
Crisis Management: Pilot 3- Reservoirs’ Water Discharges Management, Improving the Coordination among Emergency Management bodies and Promote the use of real time information in Response Planning;
Assistance and recovery: Two Activities, first The Improvement of the evacuation protocols and second Attention procedures. Health and Shelter.

Results:

Guidelines to achieve a better Coordination between Territorial, Urban and Risks Management Planning;
Pilot regulations and tools for enhanced design of sanitation networks based on modelling torrential rains runoff and networks evacuation;
Models for Local Emergency Plans against Floods to Reduce human and material losses through Local Scale Flood Risks Management;
Guide to implement a rivers overflow monitoring system for Early-Warning. Target groups are National, Regional and Local Authorities;
Protocol for Reservoirs’ management to Plan, Manage & Coordinate water discharges;
Enhanced Coordination Protocols for an Improvement in the rapid response of the Intervention and Emergency Corps for Harm Reduction.

Location:

Portugal, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Ireland

In natural hazard management and disaster risk reduction worldwide, but especially in the Alpine Space , forests are increasingly considered equal to technical or civil engineering measures.This project is capitalizing the current knowledge and developing innovative concepts, tools and metodologies for providing  the first Alpine Space regional rockfall risk zoning tool.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: ROCKTHEALPS
Financing:  European Union via INTERREG Alpine Space 2016-2019
Total budget: 2.246.416,5

Objectives:

The overall objective of the project RockTheAlps has been to reinforce and strengthen the implementation of rockfall risk prevention policy and mitigation strategy support in line with a sustainable forest management approach. 

Activities:

Worpackage T1 - ROCK-EU: Development of an innovative AS rockfall assessment methodology using harmonized criteria and objective data;
Worpackage T2 - TORRID: Construction of the first AS Toolbox for assessing the protective effect of forests against rOckfall and expressing the protective role in a Risk Reduction InDex;
Worpackage T3 - Production of the first harmonised map of protective services of forest ecosystems against rockfall for the entire AS;
Worpackage T4 - From the implementation of an economic model to the economic assessment of rockfall protection forest ecosystems services;
Worpackage T5 - Implementation of guidelines, a Territorial Information System and recommendations for sustainably valorise rockfall protection forest ecosystems services.

Results:

Three outcomes based on the timing of results have been achieved by the end of the project duration:
Operational:  production and dissemination of 1) the first entire Alpine Space harmonized mapping of rockfall risk and protection forest, 2) protection forest management integrative approach;
Strategic: generating scenarios and their economic valuation for decision makers to improve territorial resilience facing with rockfall risk;
Policy: production of the first Alpine Space harmonized statistics on protection forest ecosystems service, recommendations for developing forest based rockfall prevention policy.
The main results are available via the download section of this website

Location:

Alpine Space (m Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia)

The LIFE Landscape Fire Project aims to contribute to reducing the impact of forest fires, both in terms of carbon emissions into the atmosphere and the loss of biodiversity, while reducing their economic and social impact.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: LIFE Landscape Fire
Financing:  European Union LIFE Program 2019-2022
Total budget: 2.463.468

Objectives:

To develop large-scale measures to prevent forest fires, conserve biodiversity, increase forest resilience, train decision-makers on the benefits of prevention, as well as identify one of the options for local adaptation that will make it possible to identify and propose actions to reduce the current and future territorial vulnerability of the region.

Activities:

Expansion of the study on the classification and typification of Major Forest Fires, with a view to enriching a database of the history of this disturbance in the landscape;
Development of actions with the use of fire associated with pastoral activity, to identify the best techniques and prescription parameters for the improvement of pastures;
Reconstruction and analysis of large forest fires and application of propagation simulators;
Develop a Forestry Management Plan, through experimentation with pilot areas;
Expansion of the study on the classification and typification of Major Forest Fires;
Training of operators and technicians on the use of fire in prevention and suppression.

Results:

Studies:
Training: Practical sessions for training and accreditation in Controlled Fire; Introduction to Integral Management and Advanced Grazing Planning; delivery of equipment to Controlled Fire Technicians; Pastoral Action Planning Techniques
Control:
Invasive species:
Conservation:
Reduction:
Soil:
Restoration:
Endangered species:

Location:

Viseu Dão Lafões (Portugal)
Extremadura (Spain)

The risks that weigh on the forest know no borders. This highlights the need to take stock of all the measures that can be taken in a concerted way between neighboring countries and regions to prevent the spread of certain types of forest damage.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: FORRISK
Financing:  Interreg  2012-2014
Total budget: 

Objectives:

This project aims to identify, in each of the participating regions, the measures adopted to manage the identified and foreseeable risks, and to propose innovations to improve the management of these threats.

Activities:

The project is structured into three groups of technical tasks (GT 2, 3 and 4), two groups of management tasks (GT 1 and 5) and a group of communication and dissemination tasks (GT 6).
First stage: In each region, an inventory and analysis of the existing tools for risk management, risk anticipation and risk monitoring were carried out. In addition, the efficiency of the tools and the existence of a multi-risk approach were evaluated;
Second stage: Comparison of existing tools in the regions studied in the project;
Third stage: With the information acquired in the previous stages, improvements in risk management tools in South-West Europe were suggested and a methodology for effective inter-regional cooperation was proposed.

Results:

Institutional tools for forest risk management: Twelve key recommendations for improving forest protection;
Tools adapted to stand-level risk management: Installation, evaluation and analysis of devices to define methods of combating risks (ecological, genetic and forestry);
Decision-making tools embedded in models simulating forest growth: Toxicity risk analysis of adaptive soil management strategies; Evaluation of the risks of soil erosion and compaction in Pinus radiata plantations in the Basque Country; Evaluation of the risks of erosion and depletion of soil nutrients in eucalyptus plantations in Portugal; Vulnerability maps to wind and fire in the Basque Country, based on the 2012 Lidar flight; Evaluate the impact of different silvicultural practices on the wind resistance of maritime pine, among others.

Location:

Portugal,
Northwest of Spain,
The southwest of France.

The Mediterranean Pyrenees form a geographical unit differentiated from the rest of the Pyrenean massif. The easternmost massifs are located in a high-risk area for forest fires. This risk has been increasing with the progressive abandonment of crops and pastures that has produced an increase in the masses, being more combustible and more continuous. The cross-border area of the eastern Pyrenees is very susceptible to a large forest fire, especially due to situations of wind coming from the north, the so-called north wind.

Inglés
Some information:

Project: PRINCALB
Financing:  Interreg / Poctefa 2007-2013
Local activity: Forest management
Total budget: 1.074.125

Objectives:

The project aims to work in the defense of forest resources and natural heritage, prevention of natural risks, and to achieve a concerted planning and management of the border massifs in the broadest sense (Salines massif, Albera massif and Cap de Creus) in the field of prevention of fire. In addition, prevent forest fires in the cross-border area of the Eastern Pyrenees, acting in a coordinated manner between the two regions.

Activities:

Fire prevention planning for the L'Albera massif, Cap de Creus and surroundings: the transfer of information (cartographic and documentary) between the two regions and the adaptation and extension of existing fire prevention plans. A pilot experience in the maintenance of arboreal firebreaks is also planned, wine and pastoral, focusing mainly on the wine sector of Banyuls (France);
Materialization or improvement of priority forest fire prevention infrastructures: Execution of the infrastructures considered the highest priority. The works may be the opening or improvement of low fuel load areas, the construction or improvement of roads and the adaptation of accessible water points for land and air means. In addition, a pilot experience to promote the maintenance of vineyards as firebreak areas with means that respect the environment;
Dissemination on the prevention of forest fires

Results:

The repair of a border water point for firefighting in Portbou has been carried out, which did not have an autonomous supply, now it has a pipeline from the French water company, which feeds it continuously;
Installation of new standardized hydrants in each territory so that it can be used by the Catalan and French extinguishing systems indistinctly;
Drafting of an executive project in the Coll de Banyuls (Rabós d'Empordà);
First planning process of the 73 ha divided into various plots of action to adapt them. A first group of units (28.3 ha) has been divided into sectors that were initially planned with prescribed burning, but with the approval of the project they will be carried out through manual and mechanized clearing.

Location:

Massif of the Alberas, Cap de Creus and surroundings

One of the pilot experience is in Navarra, the area includes a total of 325 hectares that extend to the west and to the east of the Ibañeta hill to the Ortzanzurieta peak. The PE aimis to guarantee the preservation of ecosystem services and the ecological quality of open mountain spaces and ensuring the viability of the long-term management model by identifying innovative solutions for economic recovery

Inglés
Some information:

Project: OPEN2PRESERVE
Financing:  75% by the European Regional Development Fund 2018-2021
Total budget: 2.301.334

Objectives:

The main objective of this project is to connect current interdisciplinary scientific knowledge with technology and practical operation. The project proposes regional pilot experiences based on:
combination of guided herbivory and controlled fire: PYRIC HERBIVORY
Use of indigenous breeds of equine and ovine livestock for pyric herbiory
Identification and foresting of innovative assessment solutions

Activities:

Two surface areas have been selected for the combined and monitored practices of controlled burn and guided grazing. A management model for pastures of high environmental value through the combination of guided herbivory or biological clearing, by means of native horse breeds Jaca Navarra and Burguete, accompanied by initial techniques to reduce the accumulation of biomass through controlled or prescribed burning. In 2018, one of the areas has been grazed por 12-15 studs, and the other one , which was grazed by 10-11 studs. This latter zone has also been grazed by sheep. For the pilot experience, the presence of 2 to 6 studs/ha has been scheduled. The animals will change plot when the grazing on offer has finished and will return after successive re-growth.

Results:

Pasture areas of high biodiversity and good nutritional quality have been maintained and created, which had been invaded by dense monospecific covers of gorse scrub;
These recovered pastures have contributed to the breeding of foals that, through grazing, generate meat with a very high intrinsic quality;
Through the Focus Group methodology, information has been extracted on the main goods and services, and on the added value provided by pasture production in areas of high environmental value.

Location:

South slope of the Western Pyrenees. Sector NW of the LIC Roncesvalles-Selva de Irati.
Municipal district: Roncesvalles (Navarra)

LIFE+Integration cost-effectiveness of the prevention fires in the planning and forest management 

Inglés
Some information:

Project LIFE+ DEMORGEST
Financing: Life Program 2013-2017
Local activity: Forest management
Total budget: 593.592

Objectives:

This project aims to reduce the vulnerability of the forests of Catalonia to large forest fires (GIFs), facilitating the adoption of new models of multifuncional forest management (ORGEST models) that include the production of various goods and services to promote the prevention of GIFs; and which raise awareness in the general public of the role of forest management in fire fighting and the conservation of agricultural landscapes.

Activities:

Preparation: The coordination of the collaborating institutions of the project, technical workshops, improving networks of forest management groups (XPDs) and the creation of a volunteering human resource hub within the voluntary XPDs, the design, location and diagnosis of land on a massive scale (ZPM), and the formation of agreements with land owners, forestry companies and other companies operating in the region;
Implementation: The carrying out of forestry work in the ZPM. The selection and installation of classrooms;
Monitorig activities: Tasks to measure and document the effectiveness of project activities against the set objectives. Four different components were studied: fire risk, carbon flow, water use efficiency, and potential biodiversity;
Communication and dissemination: Seminars, workshops and field visits;
Continous review: Networks on a Mediterranean or transnational level will also be created.

Results:

The ORGEST guidelines propose a total of 127 management models for 32 different tree species. In reference to their objective, 64 of the models are productive, 53 have a dual aim (production-prevention) and 10 are preventive;
Protection of 3 massifs, which represent 3,176 hectares, based on the management of 5% of their total area identified as strategic for the prevention and fighting of large forest fires;
58% of the Forest Management Plans approved between 2014 and 2017 use the ORGEST silvicultura models;
2 collaboration structures created to continue the research, dissemination, knowledge transfer and training on multi-functional forest management;
11 management support documents published;
740 people participating in training activities (attending workshops) in the field;
34 workers from forestry companies trained in the practical application of the ORGEST models and the criteria for the reduction of a stand's vulnerability to fire;
Networking with 2 research institutions, 2 training centers, 2 administrations and 2 owners' association.

Location:

Catalonia

This project has created a green infrastructure to preent large forest fires and promote the conservation of natural heritage in na area of 14 municipalities around the Montserrat mountain

Inglés
Some information:

"Project LIFE Montserrat Financing: Life Program 2014-2020 Local activity: Farming Total budget: 3.561.825"

Objectives:

The creation of strategic fire prevention areas and their maintenance through silvopastoral practices
The conservation and improvement of biodiversity in the area through the maintenance and restoration of priority habitats and the habitats of threatened and protected species
Increased ecological connectivity of the territory and spaces of the Natura 2000 network Montserrat-Roques Blanques-Riu Lobregat and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac

Activities:

The priority areas of action (PAA) and the area of project management (APM):
The connections between polygons and their probability are determined, allowing to reproduce scenarios of large forest fires. Once the PAA has been defined, possible alliances complicity with actors in the territory are analysed. The forest farms and the area necessary for the viability of each livestock farm overlap with the PAA, allowing each pastoral management unit to be defined from there. To set of all them form the APM.
Conservation actions
Thinning has been carried out to reduce the density of the trees to 1000 ft/ha. This accelerates the maturation of the pines, notably improving the habitat for various plant species from the shrubby and herbaceous strata and increasing the diersity of fauna
Combination of prescribed burning and mechanical works on a land area of 181ha
Tools to facilitate the viability of extensive livestock farms
The grazing management plans are approximately 30 pages long, with very detailed information on the planning of the livestock management model for each project management area
The grazing agreements are the commitment of the beneficiary parties of the conservation actions, with the objectives of the project, and the guarantee of the durability of the investments made

Results:

Reconnect the territory and its people with the practice of ranching, which had disappeared in the area; 65ha of open spaces have been recovered through prescribed burning and 45 há with mechanical means; forest restoration work on more than 1300ha; 10 livestock management units structured around strategic areas for fire prevention; work carried out with the local educational community to generate a sensitivity in the territory

Location:

Metropolitan Region of Barcelona, in the province of Barcelona, Spain