A Decision Support Tool based on field and Earth observation to support restoration activities in degraded land based on Newlife4drylands Pilot Sites

Abstract

Land degradation processes have undergone towards a significant increase in recent decades which is likely to further increase if no actions are taken. The need of adopting practices to contain, mitigate and restore degraded land have been stressed by the new Soil Strategy. In order to guide actions, through a common and effective framework, a cost and time efficient approach is needed. Experiences from six pilot sites in southern European countries, selected within the NL4DL LIFE project, were examined and monitored with both available field data and satellite-acquired data, in order to be replicated, improved and transferred to similar degraded sites. The heterogeneity and complexity of degradation processes resulted from the pilot sites highlighted issues and necessities of harmonization and standardization of ecological/physical indicators, especially those derived from satellite observations, when used as proxies of land degradation.  The aim of the tool is to provide a reference procedure to be applied to monitor restoration activities based on nature-based solutions on degraded lands, once the degradation processes has been identified. Variables considered in the tool include processes of degradation, physical indicators derived from remotely sensed approaches and most common practices of nature-based solutions. Connections between these variables, which form the basis of the relational map of the tool, have been initially collected through the internal knowledge of the project and will be further deepened trough expert-based questionnaires to experts of different disciplines in the field of soil and environmental sciences. The decision-making tool provide a workflow to guide the end users in the field of environmental management and planning, through the identification of land degradation processes, the selection of monitoring indicators viable and the most suitable nature based solution for that particular degraded land. The tool will be used as an input base for an action protocol at local and regional scale for environmental management and planning