Last 11 February, the launch meeting of the LIFE Scrubsnet project was held with the participation of all partner organisations. Innogestiona Ambiental, as project coordinator, gave a general review of the main actions of the project, which aims to revitalise degraded agroforestry habitats through the valorisation of scrubland patches.
The consortium of the Scrubsnet project includes partners from Spain (Innogestiona Ambiental – coordinator-, Extremadura Verde, Dirección General de Sostenibilidad – Junta de Extremadura, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla – Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ayuntamiento de Plasencia, Sociedad Española de Ornitología, Grupo Ecohábitat Ibérico, Universidad de Córdoba, Universidad de Extremadura), Portugal (Universidad de Évora) and Italy (Agris Sardegna).
During the meeting, each entity presented their background and interest in the LIFE Scrubsnet project, which highlighted the importance of scrub patches to ensure the complexity of different agricultural ecosystems, from a scientific, political, socio-economic and environmental perspective.
The Scrubsnet project was presented by Juan Pablo Martín, head of the European projects department of Innogestiona Ambiental, who went through the different preparatory actions, compensatory measures, conservation actions and impact assessment that will be carried out throughout the project, along with the presentation of the pilot farms/estates where the interventions and field studies will be implemented: Finca San Francisco (Huelva), Finca Comunal de Siruela (Badajoz(, Finca Valcorchero (Plasencia) and Finca Heredade do Passareiro (Portugal).
Natalia Palmero, in charge of the administrative department, analysed the important aspects regarding administrative matters and financial justification, and asked the partners to decide on a date for a specific workshop to clarify doubts and review the most important milestones that will take place during the 5 years of the project.
In terms of communication, Sara Vargas, from Innogestiona Ambiental’s communication department, presented the logo (developed by Ernesto Montoya, Innogestiona’s graphic designer) and the different Scrubsnet social networks (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), as well as the methodology for collaborative work in the cloud and the main requirements for publications and communications, with special attention to the project’s funding by the LIFE programme.
LIFE PROGRAMME
The LIFE Scrubsnet project is co-funded by the European Union through the LIFE20 programme NAT/ES/000978. Scrubsnet will work towards a greater presence of shrub species in the montados, with the aim of favouring the revitalisation and protection of different habitats and associated species, as well as directly influencing CO2 capture, on the understanding that scrub patches are fundamental to the ecological functionality of these systems and should therefore be part of a sustainable landscape management model.