Los Pedroches Case Study

CREAF and ADROCHES Lead Efforts to Combat Land Degradation in Los Pedroches, Andalusia, Spain

Los Pedroches, Spain – November 15th, 2025 – The Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF) and the Asociación ADROCHES para el Desarrollo Rural de la Comarca de Los Pedroches (ADROCHES) are leading the Los Pedroches Case Study as part of the MONALISA project. The MONALISA project under the EU Soil Mission brings together leaders from industry, policy, government, research, academia, and science across the EU and Mediterranean. Coordinated by the University of Sassari (UNISS), the project aims to identify and promote innovative, tailored solutions to prevent and reverse LDD while showcasing their socio-economic and environmental effectiveness.

Los Pedroches: A Region Facing Environmental Challenges

Located in Córdoba Province, Andalusia, in southern Spain, Los Pedroches is characterized by the Dehesa, a unique Mediterranean ecosystem that integrates livestock and forests. Spanning over 360,000 hectares, it is the largest of its kind globally, dominated by various Quercus species (oak trees and shrubs) and traditional agricultural practices. The region's primary land uses include rainfed crops such as cereals and olive trees, alongside livestock farming. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with a semi-arid climate and aridity index of 0.45. Key drivers of LDD in Los Pedroches include drought, climate change, land use intensification leading to soil fertility loss, land abandonment, soil erosion, and overgrazing.

CREAF & ADROCHES: Leading the Los Pedroches Case Study

CREAF and ADROCHES are leading the Los Pedroches case study within the MONALISA project. Their efforts focus on implementing and assessing various solutions, including:

– Conservation Agriculture Practices – Implementing no-tillage, green cover, crop rotation, and agroforestry to enhance soil health and reduce erosion.

– Innovative Grazing Management – Adopting rotational grazing, silvopasture (integration of trees, pasture, and livestock on the same land), stock density management, and virtual fencing to improve pasture sustainability.

– Use of Organic Fertilizers – Applying compost, manure, biofertilizers, and vermicomposting to enrich soil fertility naturally.

– Restoration of Natural Ecosystems and Agroecosystems – Engaging in reforestation and afforestation, wetland restoration, pollinator habitat creation, and soil rehabilitation to restore ecological balance.

A participatory approach is central to the project, involving co-design, co-implementation, and co-assessment with local stakeholders to ensure the impact, relevance, and effectiveness of the solutions.
As part of the MONALISA project's ongoing activities, a field visit and co-design meeting in Los Pedroches Case Study is scheduled for July 2025. This visit aims to engage local communities, assess the progress of implemented solutions, and enable cross-fertilisation of solutions and knowledge exchange among MONALISA partners and local stakeholders.

MONALISA Consortium
Universita Degli Studi Di Sassari (UNISS); Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza (Sapienza); Panepistimio Kritis (UoC); Centro De Investigacion Ecologica Y Aplicaciones Forestales (CREAF); Hellenic Society For The Protection Of Nature (HSPN); Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis (CERTH); Istituto Superiore Per La Protezione E La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA); Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR); Institut Des Regions Arides (IRA); Centre International De Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Mediterraneennes (CIHEAM); Agricolus Agritech Spain Sl (Agricolus); Fondazione Medes (MEDES); We World-Gvc Organizzazione Non Lucrativa Di Utilita' Sociale (WeWorld); Aarhus Universitet (AU); Asociacion Adroches Para El Desarrollo Rural De La Comarca De Los Pedroches (ADROCHES); Universitatea Din Bucuresti (UniBuc); Inosens DOO Novi Sad (InoSens); Cooperativa Produttori Arborea - Societa Agricola (CoopArb); Ente Parco Nazionale Alta Murgia (AltaMurgia); Reseau Pour La Recherche Internationale Sur La Desertification (DNI); Commissariat Regional Au Developpement Agricole De Medenine (CRDA); Universitat Basel (UNIBASE); Universite De Geneve (UNIGE).

For more information, please reach out to:
Giovanna Seddaiu, Project Coordinator (UNISS), [email protected] , [email protected]
Cristina Domingo-Marimon, Case Study Coordinator (CREAF), [email protected]
Asociación ADROCHES, Case Study Coordinator (ADROCHES), [email protected]
Maja Sremački, Diss. & Comm. Manager (InoSens) [email protected]