Innovative approach to soil management in viticultural landscapes

LIFE 2015 - LIFE15 ENV/IT/000641

Objectives of SOIL4WINE are

Objective 1. Achieve better soil management in the whole viticultural system (i.e., vineyard floor between rows, in the vine row, and in headlands around vineyard blocks) and, in turn, decreasing erosion and water run-off, maintaining/increasing soil organic matter, avoiding compaction and contamination, increasing soil biodiversity, etc., through cost-effective solutions for improving methodologies currently applied in the study site, specifically identified in 4 protected areas of western Emilia-Romagna (Parco dei Boschi di Carrega, Parco del Taro, Parco dello Stirone, Parco della Val Trebbia).

Objective 2. Develop an innovative Decision tool for achieving better soil management able to guide farmers in: i) defining their specific soil and environmentally related problem(s); ii) selecting the best management solution(s); iii) implementing them in their vineyards; and finally iv) self-evaluating the results after implementation of the solution(s).

Objective 3. Test the Decision tool in vineyards to understand its strengths and weaknesses, assessing the benefits rising from the use of the Decision tool by collecting specific information/data and farmer’s feedbacks, and finally demonstrate to farmers its usability and the advantages rising from its use.

Objective 4. Determine: i) social, economic and environmental constrains of the proposed innovation; ii) soil ecosystem services in the study area and their improvements ensured by the proposed solutions; and use this information to designing innovative soil conservation policies based on PES (Payment of Ecosystem Services).

Objective 5. Promote a new participatory and promotional approach for stakeholder involvement able to: i) ensure their real needs are met; ii) ensure proposed innovation is feasible and effective; iii) increase the innovation acceptance rate; iii) increase the future exploitation of the project results; iv) create local agreements and regional partnerships about soil, biodiversity and ecosystem services; and, finally, v) ensure replicability and transferability across Europe.

UCSC è coordinatore