NEWLIFE4DRYLANDS

Remote sensing oriented nature based solutions towards a NEW LIFE FOR DRYLANDS

Funded by: LIFE2020
Period: January 2020 - June 2024

Introduction

NewLife4Drylands aims to provide a framework and protocol to identify sustainable solutions that could be successfully implemented in degraded arid areas, e.g. land restoration activities aimed at improving vegetation cover and productivity in areas where desertification processes are underway (vulnerable areas). Furthermore, the project will develop specific techniques to monitor the failures and successes of environmental restoration activities. Monitoring systems would allow for long-term monitoring, instead of the usual short-term monitoring campaigns, in order to assess the effectiveness of restoration activities and improve sustainable soil management. The use of Earth Observation tools make it possible to obtain the assessment over time with lower costs than in situ monitoring visits, also overcoming any difficulties in accessing the areas in question.

Description

This project focuses on the development of a protocol for the identification of the characteristics of arid areas and for a medium and long-term monitoring of the restoration interventions of desertified land through the use of remote sensing techniques. Remote sensing (RS) can complement the lack of long-term, reliable and homogeneous information in situ, usually quite timely and expensive. The protocol is based on high resolution Earth observation (EO) data and the application of remote sensing methodologies. In addition, it provides a clear, specific and cost-free assessment of the restoration process to help make further decisions in interventions.

Aims

The main objective of the project is to monitor the application, scalability and replicability of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) for the restoration of degraded and desertified arid areas using satellite indicators, establishing a NBS protocol for arid areas for the identification of features, NBS design, and medium- to long-term recovery monitoring.

The specific objectives of NewLife4Drylands will be:

  • Provide a methodological and applicable approach in the form of a model for monitoring the desertification of desertified areas based on remote sensing indicators
  • Provide a specific protocol for the NBS application for dryland restoration

Participants

  • Institute of Bioeconomy of the National Research Council - CNR-IBE - Italy
  • Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research - ISPRA - Italy
  • Centro de Investigación Ecológica y Aplicaciones Forestales - CREAF - Spain
  • La Sapienza University - Sapienza - Italy
  • University of Crete - UoC - Greece
  • Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature - HSPN - Greece
Paul Mazzetti

Paul Mazzetti

Scientific manager

email: paolo.mazzetti AT iia.cnr.it