Optimizing Ecosystem Services in Viniculture facing Climate Change

The main objective of the LIFE VinEcoS project is to optimise ecosystem services in vineyards by testing climate-adapted methods in viniculture. In the first part of the project, relevant methods will be implemented on demonstration areas of the Kloster Pforta vineyard in the Saale-Unstrut area of Saxony-Anhalt. The second half of the project will see these methods tested in other commercial vineyards in the region, as well as at the demonstration vineyard of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. These trials will allow the project to evaluate the climate change adaptation measures in relation to the added value of the ecosystem services provided by the vineyards. Ecosystem-based approaches, focusing on synergies between nature protection, climate protection and climate adaptation are more cost-efficient than technical solutions. In this way, the project aims to contribute to the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change by supporting adaptation actions in vulnerable mountain areas with an emphasis on sustainable and resilient agricultural, forestry and tourism sectors. The project will also further support recent Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform to strengthen the competitiveness and the sustainability of agriculture and maintain its presence in all regions.

The project's demonstration areas are partly located within the Natura 2000 network, thus it will address the conservation of target species, linking the project?s objectives with the EU Biodiversity strategy to 2020.

The project expects to achieve the following results of demonstration actions at Kloster Pforta vineyard:

* Use of regional seed mixtures and planting of cover crops at 4 ha intervals help increase erosion control, preserve water retention and promote humidification;

* Vine rows will be managed through sheep grazing. This is expected to benefit threatened plant and animal species, as well as the vines;

* Vine stocks will be given more space in order to foster the growth of leaves and root systems, leading to a higher resistance against droughts; and

* The dense grape structures will be loosened to decrease the disease susceptibility and to lower stress sensitivity. By comparing this innovative method to traditional vine growing, ecological and economic benefits will be visible.

In the second half of the project the applied methods will be further tested in other vineyards in Saxony-Anhalt and beyond, resulting in the following outcomes:

* The development of quantitative success indicators to measure erosion, pest, fungi, water stress and biodiversity; and

* The production of guidelines for winemakers and related professionals outlining specific actions based on the project results and the inclusion of recommendations of a cost-benefit-analysis of vineyards using resource-efficient methods.