MONTADO & CLIMATE; A NEED TO ADAPT

LIFE-MONTADO-ADAPT has two objectives:
1. Introducing innovative adaptation technologies in Portuguese and Spanish Montado and Dehesa (M/D) landscapes and communities, through demonstration of sustainable and profitable Integrated Land Use (ILU) systems, which help restore the landscape's multi-functional character and its contributions to socioeconomic development, environmental services, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration; and
2. Maximising the transformational impact of these adaptation technologies and ecosystem services, and securing their replication and upscaling, through a farmer-to-farmer ILU adoption plan, developed commercialisation channels, sustainability and carbon certification, and a marketing plan for regional produce.
The project is aligned with the EU Adaptation Strategy objective of improving the knowledge base for better informed decision-making on adaptation, by ensuring that the lessons learned ? the methods and tools developed - from the project?s land-use demonstrations become available for replication purposes. The project will contribute to climate change mitigation, through recovery of land areas which are under threat of desertification and forest fires ? thus preventing soil loss and related additional greenhouse gas emissions ? and through overall biomass increase for improved carbon sequestration.
The project is expected to achieve the following results:
* Establish an Integrated Land Use system on 1 250 hectares of M/D land with combined methods e.g. inter-planting, diseased tree removal, reforestation, forage crop establishment and livestock fencing;
* Safeguard and improve biodiversity functions, including a 10% improved presence of indicator species for birds and butterflies and a restored plant diversity and structural complexity matching habitat requirements for the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus);
* Improved socioeconomic benefits of M/D land, including at least eight viable income sources for domestic and international markets, a ?150 per hectare (or 300%) increase in farmers? incomes, an increase in employment of 1 full-time equivalent per 10 hectares, and an overall increase in internal rate of return to at least 6%;
* A carbon sequestration increase of 1 tonne CO2 equivalent per hectare subject to carbon-saving activities;
* To ensure widespread adoption and replication of the adaptation technologies, the project will established a self-supporting commercial enterprise responsible for collective purchases, sales, marketing and farmer-to-farmer promotion;
* This company will sign at least 10 cooperation agreements with commercial partners for products and eco-services, and promote their products at two trade fairs;
* Eleven project partners will be trained as promoters, each successfully transferring their knowledge to 11 other farmers (110 farmers and an estimated 10 000 hectares in total) resulting in certified ILU designs for their land; and
* Creation of synergies with national governments, forest authorities, agricultural and environmental authorities, the WWF, and other public and private entities in order to achieve policies and legislation beneficial to M/D development.