SOILPRO: a LIFE+ project implementing soil monitoring and protection together with regional

stakeholders of Sicily and Peloponnese

Costantini E.A.C.1, Bucelli P. 1, Fantappiè M. 1, Guaitoli F. 2, Kalliris P. 3, Kyriakopoulos K. 4, Matranga M.G. 2, Papadopoulos T. 4, Pellegrini S.1,

Vasilakis E.4, Vignozzi N.1 1CRA-ABP, Research Centre for Agrobiology and Pedology, Firenze, Italy; 2Regione

Siciliana, Assessorato per le Risorse Agricole e Alimentari, Palermo. Italy; 3Region of Peloponnesos, Tripoli, Greece; 4EKPA, National

and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

SOILPROSOILPRO

AIMThe SOILPRO project has the general

objective of monitoring soil degradation in line with the Thematic Strategy for Soil

Protection.

Others important aims•Dissemination (video, newsletters, guidelines, e-learning….)•Awareness-raising campaign about soil conservation and CC (conferences, questionnaires, hand-books,....)•Training of personnel for the SMS (potential users)•Planning regional soil protection measures (elaboration and implementation)

Methods approaching environmental problems

Conventional approach Innovative approach

Soilpro will develop a web-based application tool (Soil Monitoring Software, SMS) that can support regional authorities to identify

and assess areas at risk of soil degradation, in order to

implement soil protection measures as well as to

monitor their effectiveness

Soil degradation systems

1. Water erosion 2. Organic matter decline3. Compaction4. Salinization5. Landslides6. Acidification

Structure of the SMS

Sicily Other sourcesPeloponnesusData source

Field data

Pre-processing

Geostatistics

Models for:•Risk Area Identification•Scenario and impact analysis•Monitoring design

SMS

SOILPRO database

Maps

Web site Web GIS

Web portal: www.soilpro.eu

Soilpro in action: planning environmental measures

Burned forest lands in Arcadia and Argolide

The rising of the agricultural frontier

Abandoned olive groves in degraded, not suitable lands

Fragile, shallow soils on terraces in the inland of Koronaki (Messinia)

Abandoned terraces with landslides in the Messina province (Sicily)

Region Sicily: proposed measure 214/1G “contrasting hydrogeological instability and

recovery of traditional agricultural landscape”

Actions:• Maintenance and recovery of terraces and ditches to enhance water infiltration and reduce runoff and soil erosion

• Plantation and pruning of local tree species and bushes, also of not agricultural interest, to reduce the risk of fire

• Maintenance of grass cover in orchards, without the use of herbicide

• Interdiction of burning crop residues, chopping and spreading on the ground encouraged

Delimitation of the eligible areas for the application of the measure

Map overlay:Area of interest: set of Mucipalities with

High soil erosion risk High proportion of orchards Many terraced areas

Area of interest and soil erosion risk

± 0 50 10025Km

SICILIA

MESSINA PROVINCE

MUNICIPALITIES

EROSION RISK(RUSLE)

VERY HIGH

HIGH

MODERATE

Area of interest and orchards

± 0 50 10025Km

SICILIA

MESSINA PROVINCE

MUNICIPALITIES

LAND USESST

HETEROGENEOUS AREA

FRUITS AND OTHER ARBORICOLTURE

Area of interest and terraced areas

± 0 50 10025Km

SICILIA

MESSINA PROVINCE

MUNICIPALITIES

TERRACING

Guideline for the choice of native species: map of reaction (pH)

± 0 10 205Km

SICILIA

MESSINA PROVINCE

MUNICIPALITIES

STS AVERAGE pH< 6.5

6.5 - 7.0

7.0 - 7.5

7.5 - 8.0

8.0 - 8.5

> 8.5