The event will bring together researchers, project partners and regional stakeholders on 29 September to discuss DRYAD’s progress and its application across different Mediterranean territories

How can Nature-based Solutions (NbS) strengthen the resilience of Mediterranean landscapes in the face of climate change? More importantly, how can research better respond to the needs of those responsible for putting these solutions into practice on the ground?

These questions will take centre stage at DRYAD’s Mid-Term Event, “Nature-based Solutions in Action”, taking place on 29 September in Lisbon. The event, taking place from 10:00 to 19:30 (CET), comes at a key moment for the project as it reaches the halfway point of its journey, which began in 2024 and will run until 2028. Bringing together project partners and regional stakeholders from across the Mediterranean, the event will showcase the progress achieved so far, facilitate knowledge exchange and, above all, create an opportunity to assess how research outcomes align with the practical needs and experiences of those working directly in the field.

Organised by FEUGA, which leads DRYAD’s communication, dissemination and exploitation activities, the event will focus on one of the project’s core ambitions: ensuring that research-driven knowledge is translated into solutions that deliver tangible benefits in the territories where they are most needed. The programme will combine project presentations, stakeholder discussions and a field visit to one of DRYAD’s demonstration sites.

Part of the event will be streamed online by Zoom. Registration is already open for those who would like to join the event and discover first-hand the progress made by DRYAD as it reaches its halfway point.

Connecting Research with Regional Needs

The day will begin at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) with a workshop dedicated to Portuguese stakeholders and focused on the challenges and priorities of the Alentejo region. This first session, taking place from 10:00 to 19:30 (CET), will provide an opportunity to highlight the main challenges facing the territories and understand the priorities of those working directly on the ground, bringing a local perspective to DRYAD’s work.

The open programme of the event will begin at 12:15 (CET) bringing together representatives from a range of regions and sectors involved in the implementation of Nature-based Solutions. Participating territories will include Alentejo (Portugal); Tirso and Tuscany (Italy); Extremadura, Castile and León, and Andalusia (Spain); Xiromero (Greece); and Occitania (France).

Throughout the event, DRYAD partners will present the project’s latest developments, including the solutions, methodologies and tools being tested and implemented across the demonstration regions. These presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with invited regional stakeholders, providing an opportunity to compare project outcomes with local experiences, priorities and operational needs.

The aim is not only to showcase what has been achieved so far, but also to foster discussion on how these solutions can be adapted to different territorial contexts and what conditions are required to support their future replication and uptake.

Demonstrating Solutions in Real-World Conditions

From 16:00 (CET) onwards, the event will continue outside the conference venue with a guided visit to Companhia das Lezírias, one of DRYAD’s demonstration pilot sites in Portugal.

Participants will have the opportunity to explore firsthand the agro-silvo-pastoral landscape where DRYAD is developing and testing its Nature-based Solutions. The visit will also highlight the challenges associated with climate adaptation and the sustainable management of these valuable ecosystems.

By bringing participants directly into the field, the visit will provide a practical perspective on the project’s work and demonstrate how its solutions can be applied under real operating conditions. This combination of research, stakeholder engagement and on-site demonstration reflects the overall purpose of the Mid-Term Event: connecting science, policy and practice to advance scalable and adaptable solutions across Europe’s Mediterranean regions.

An Open Event for International Audiences

The Mid-Term Event will be open to a broad audience and will be streamed online, allowing participants from around the world to follow the sessions taking place at ISA remotely. Explore the full programme and register.

Coordinated by the University of A Coruña (UDC), DRYAD is working to implement and demonstrate Nature-based Solutions that enhance the resilience of agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems to climate change impacts. The project operates across five demonstration regions and three replication regions throughout Europe, where its solutions are being tested, adapted and validated in diverse environmental and socio-economic contexts.