The Green Link Project: Restore desertified areas with an innovative tree growing method across the mediterranean basin to increase resilience

Abstract

Desertification is defined as “land degradation in arid, semiarid and sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities” (UNCCD, 2013). In this sense, soil degradation is one of the most threatening consequences of climate change. Approximately 45% of soils in Europe are in a vulnerable state and 15% even being considered extremely vulnerable. Some southern parts of the EU, including Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy and France (Corsica) are significantly affected (EEA, 2008). Soil degradation problems not only have environmental implications: more and more agricultural land are degrading and their cultivation becoming unprofitable, adding serious economic problems to rural areas already weakened by depopulation. This project aims to compensate impacts of climate change and contribute to increase resilience of Mediterranean ecosystems, specifically in Spain, Greece and Italy. There is a huge number of studies on the potential impacts of climate change on water resources which involve many different approaches. A common element is the reduction of water availability for forest ecosystems and for irrigation purposes across all regions (EEA, 2012). Reforestation and afforestation efforts in the Mediterranean region cannot be called cost-efficient currently, since the percentages of growth failure and seedling mortality rates are extremely high, mainly when broadleaved resprouting species (e.g. Quercus species) where planted (Vallejo et al 2012).