La Nava del Conejo is a publicly owned estate managed by the Regional Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Research (IRIAF) of the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha. Since October 2021, under a public concession, FIRE, in collaboration with the IRIAF, has been managing some 220 hectares of rain-fed arable land and some 150 hectares of woodland on this estate with the aim of demonstrating that agriculture and forest management can be sustainable activities that benefit local biodiversity.
This project draws inspiration from the concept of the Living Lab, an emerging international concept based on the establishment of open and collaborative research and innovation infrastructures in real-life settings beyond the academic sphere. It aims to serve as a showcase and a meeting point for various stakeholders in the region (farmers, conservationists, public authorities, land managers, researchers, students, cooperative members and tourists, amongst others) to drive a transition towards sustainable models that respect biodiversity in the agricultural and forestry sectors.
The overall aim of the project is to establish an exemplary and replicable model of agricultural production and forest management for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services – that is, the benefits that nature provides to people. The specific objectives are:
Duration: October 2021
Partner organisations
Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, IRIAF
Location
Spain.
Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real)
Objective
- Assess the initial ecological condition of the estate.
- To increase biodiversity levels in agricultural habitats.
- To enhance the resilience and adaptability of forest systems to climate change.
- Set up a unique demonstration project.
Further information about the project
To date, the following organisations have collaborated and continue to collaborate in various ways on this project: the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha, the Regional Institute for Agri-Food and Forestry Research and Development of Castile-La Mancha (IRIAF), the Centre for Agroforestry Research (CIAF), the IRIAF’s Regional Centre for Animal Selection and Reproduction (CERSYRA), the University of Alcalá de Henares – Forest Ecology and Restoration (UAH-FORECO), the Catholic University of Ávila (UCAv), the Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA), the Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), the Spanish Association for the Conservation and Study of Bats (SECEMU) and the Environmental Entomological Society of Castile-La Mancha (SEACAM).
*This research has been funded by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, but does not reflect the views of the Ministry
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