Activities

Terraprima tested different techniques to find less invasive methods for Mediterranean soils, so as to improve organic matter content while enhancing carbon sequestration. They counted on the cooperation of many Portuguese farmers and forest owners, who joined the projects and changed their traditional land management in favour of those methods tested in the projects. These farmers were paid for the contribution of their improved land management to carbon sequestration. Thus, the projects also served as demonstration on how society can compensate farmers for the environmental benefits generated by good agricultural practices.

Additional information

Both projects are developing better practices for managing soils and the understory vegetation in these places, while enhancing carbon sequestration at the same time.

Traditionally, the control of underground vegetation on these areas is done with harrows, which are very invasive, resulting in serious losses of soil and organic matter. Findings of the “Shrub control” project show that the use of scrub clearers and shredders, instead of harrows, diminishes soil erosion and enhances their organic matter content.



The “Sown Biodiverse Pastures” project also investigated the understory vegetation, but with a different approach, changing natural grasslands to sown permanent pastures. According to the results, the farmer can improve its pasture by using a proper mix of seeds (6 different species or cultivars, ensuring about 25% of legumes on the field), not only making it much more productive, but also increasing biodiversity and soil organic matter content.



Both practices (harrows and sown pastures) had a strong impact on the organic matter of soils, thus they increase also the capacity to sequester carbon, contributing to mitigate climate change.