TERRA (Laboratory for the Sustainability of Land Use and Ecosystem Services) was approved in a highly competitive call to receive the Label of Associated Laboratory by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation in Portugal. TERRA brings together 403 high-quality researchers from five research units at the University of Lisbon and the University of Coimbra. TERRA is coordinated by Dr. Teresa Ferreira, from the Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture from the University of Lisbon.
With forestry and agriculture systems at the forefront, today’s research is challenged by the need to recognise the interactions between anthropogenic activities and the environment. Addressing this challenge calls for systemic approaches. TERRA is thus structured into five thematic lines to deliver innovative socio-ecological scientific evidence in support of best management practices and policy decision-making towards sustainable land use and bio-circularity and its derived products:
- Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services
- Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- Product Processing and Circular Economy
- Society and environmental health
- Socio-ecological Systems, Planning and Policies
Emphasizing the foundational intergenerational commitment to sustainability, TERRA’s contribution will be articulated in mission-oriented multidisciplinary teams, targeting specific social challenges and providing quick personalised advice to the public and private sectors, both on request, and through the involvement of scientists, stakeholders and policy makers.
TERRA will capitalise on its potential for multidisciplinary networks and for synergies with international research and outreach organisations, aimed at sustainable land use, conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, inclusive societies and human well-being.
More details on TERRA website
