“CCDesert Experimental Campus Alcoutim & Mértola”

Scientific Focus Area: Agroecology & Ecological Restoration

Promoting Entities: Alcoutim Municipal Council, Mértola Municipal Council, Terra Sintrópica Association, and Cumeadas Association.

Scientific Entities: EBM – Mértola Biological Station Association and BIOPOLIS Association.

Funding: PRR – Call 2021-REACT-13, Compete 2020 Programme.

Timeline: May 2023 – December 2023

Location: Mértola and Alcoutim

The semi-arid context, vulnerability to climate change, and desertification risk present in the municipalities of Alcoutim and Mértola justified the establishment of the CCDesert Experimental Campus. This initiative was materialised through a network of 9 pilot test areas for nature-based in situ regeneration solutions applied to degraded forest ecosystems, particularly in areas of stone pine monoculture, as well as eroded scrublands and areas with a high density of invasive species (acacias and eucalyptus), with the aim of their future conversion into oak forests and productive agroforests that are more resilient to climate change.

This project included various experimental studies in the pilot areas, located in the Alcoutim municipality within stone pine monoculture zones and in the Mértola municipality within plots of the Mértola Forest Perimeter (PFCM).

The project was developed in consortium by the aforementioned Promoting Entities. The component of advisory, monitoring, and validation of results was under the scientific responsibility of the EBM – Mértola Biological Station and CIBIO – BIOPOLIS.