RECARE (Preventing and remediating degradation of soils in Europe through land care)

The CCRI is one of 27 project partners working on this 5 year EU FP7 project which will be looking at measures to prevent and remediate against soil degradation in Europe. The project will be involved in using an innovative transdisciplinary approach to actively integrate and advance knowledge of stakeholders and scientists in 17 Case Studies, covering a range of soil threats in different bio-physical and socio-economic environments across Europe.

Dr Julie Ingram, Dr Matt Reed and Jane Mills are the CCRI researchers involved in the project.

Although there is a large body of knowledge available on soil threats in Europe, this knowledge is fragmented and incomplete, in particular regarding the complexity and functioning of soil systems and their interaction with human activities.

The main aim of RECARE is to develop effective prevention, remediation and restoration measures using an innovative trans-disciplinary approach, actively integrating and advancing knowledge of stakeholders and scientists in 17 Case Studies, covering a range of soil threats in different bio-physical and socio-economic environments across Europe.

Concise project plan
Within the Case Study sites,
•The current state of degradation and conservation will be assessed using a new methodology, based on the WOCAT mapping procedure,
•Impacts of degradation and conservation on soil functions and ecosystem services will be quantified in a harmonized, spatially explicit way, accounting for costs and benefits, and possible trade-offs,
•Prevention, remediation and restoration measures selected and implemented by stakeholders in a participatory process will be evaluated regarding efficacy, and
•The applicability and impact of these measures at the European level will be assessed using a new integrated bio-physical and socio-economic model, accounting for land use dynamics as a result of for instance economic development and policies.

Policies and communication
Existing national and EU policies will be reviewed and compared to identify potential incoherence, contradictions and synergies. Policy messages will be formulated based on the Case Study results and their integration at European level. A comprehensive dissemination and communication strategy, including the development of a web-based Dissemination and Communication Hub, will accompany the other activities to ensure that project results are disseminated to a variety of stakeholders at the right time and in the appropriate formats to stimulate renewed care for European soils

The first RECARE project meeting took place in Valencia, Spain, between 13th to 17th January 2014, and was attended by Jane Mills and Dr Matt Reed. See the RECARE project page for more information.

RECARE PDF Download

RECARE website

CCRI Press Release 1 April 2014

News video (in Portuguese) Investigadores avaliam estado do solo português após incêndios (Researchers assess the state of Portuguese soil after fires)

RECARE newsletter December 2014

RECARE newsletter December 2015

RECARE newsletter April 2016

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 603498

RECARE – Empowering soil managers, saving the soil

For the past five years, the RECARE project has been working with stakeholders across Europe to develop a new way of saving the soil. As the project ends, it is presenting the accumulated learning from its research to policymakers in the cities, regions and nations of Europe as well as international bodies.
The urgency of this mission is underscored by recent UN reports highlighting the role that agriculture plays in climate change and how sustainable agriculture is going to be necessary to secure food production as well as liveable landscapes under climatic change.

Reflections on RECARE

Later this week, the final RECARE conference will be taking place in Brussels. Over the last five years, the project has been the focus for three researchers within CCRI. One of these, Matt Reed reflects on RECARE, prior to its culmination.

Earthy Solutions – Practical Research for Preserving Europe’s Soils

The RECARE project has issued a media release in the lead-up to the final conference, which takes place in Brussels on the 27th of September in Brussels, where the research team are coming together with policymakers and influencers to discuss how RECARE results can influence the design of future European policies on soil protection

RECARE meeting in ‘Europe’s most polluted town’

Jane Mills and Matt Reed attended the penultimate RECARE annual meeting to discuss project progress and activities for the final six months of the project.

Jane Mills draws from RECARE and SoilCare research at BonaRes conference

Jane Mills has been at the BonaRes Conference in Berlin this week (26-28th February) where she made a presentation based on research under the EU funded RECARE and Soilcare projects.

Jane Mills presents RECARE and SoilCare research at “Where for UK soil after Brexit” conference

On 14th February 2018, Jane Mills attended the “Where for UK soil after Brexit?” conference at the Soil Research Centre, Reading University, where she presented posters on the RECARE and SoilCare projects, on which she has been working.

MEDIA RELEASE – Solutions for a brown planet

On World Soil Day, we talk about how scientists are looking at how the soil can capture carbon and so lessen climate change, how to stabilise the soil to slow the flow of water and stop flooding, and how agricultural soils can be managed sustainably into the future ensuring we are all fed.

Happy World Soil Day!

Today is World Soil Day, when the attention of the world is focussed on one of our most important natural resources – soil. World Soil Day is held annually on 5th December to highlight the importance of soil on Earth, which we need for basic survival – food and energy.

Soils given a voice in Bratislava

Jane Mills is taking part in the fifth European Network of Soil Awareness – Joint Research Centre (ENSA-JRC) meeting in Bratislava on 28th – 29th September. The workshop is called ‘Giving Soils a Voice 2017’.

RECARE project update

The RECARE project has recently completed a review of EU polices on soil protection. In this review, 28 of the most relevant EU policy instruments for soil protection have been examined with respect to their provisions and mechanisms.

Jane Mills talks about the importance of soil on BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Jane Mills talks to Faye Hatcher on BBC Radio Gloucestershire about the importance of soil and how it is often forgotten and undervalued as a global resource

The plots to save our soils

World Soil Day is the one day in the year that the United Nations asks us all to think about the role of soil in our daily lives and how it protects us from many environmental problems. Today we talk about how the RECARE project has gathered scientists from across Europe to find practical answers to sustaining healthy soil.

Celebrating World Soil Day!

5th December, is World Soil Day – the one day in the year that the United Nations asks us all to think about the role of soil in our daily lives. The CCRI has been collaborating on two major EU funded projects, SoilCare and RECARE, to investigate how soil quality can be improved.

All about soil!

Soil is always at the forefront of Jane Mills’ research and this coming week it is indeed all about soil as she attends various workshops and meetings around Europe to discuss soil issues.

Soil – the forgotten component essential to human life

CCRI has welcomed the recent report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on Soil Health, which states that soil is often overlooked as an essential component to human life. Read Jane Mills’ blog about CCRI’s work in the challenge to address soil degradation.

New journal article published with free access

Jane Mills and Chris Short co-authored a journal article that has just been published in Ecological Indicators. The paper has free access until 14th June, 2016.

Terraces, agriculture and innovation

Matt Reed has been walking the terraces of Cyprus where a team from The Cyprus Institute, as part of the RECARE project, are investigating the role of terraces in preserving the soil. In this blog, Matt talks about the traditions of cultivation of mountain terraces and the the challenge to produce and sell food in a way that develops livelihoods and sustains the environment. Matt was accompanied by Jane Mills.

Project updates and activities