Optimizing Ecosystem Services in LIFE15 CCA/DE/000103 LIFE VinEco Viniculture facing Climate Change
Project background
Saale-Unstrut is a traditional wine-producing area of Beneficiary: some 770 ha in southern Saxony-Anhalt. Its picturesque Name of beneficiary valleys have a sunny and dry micro-climate that is suit- Landgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt mbH ed to growing grapes for wine. Climate change, however, will increasingly lead to aggravation of land-use con- Postal address Große Diesdorfer Straße 56/57 flicts. Rising average temperature and decreasing annual D - 39110 Magdeburg rainfall are significant drivers for cultivation methods to GERMANY be adapted. Viticulture on steep slopes is endangered Phone +49 391 7361730 and could be replaced by more efficient vineyards in the Fax +49 391 7361777 plains. These areas would then face scrub encroachment Email [email protected] and thus become less ecologically valuable. Name of contact person Project objectives Jorn FREYER Duration of project: The main objective of the project is to optimise ecosys- 48 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2020) tem services in vineyards by testing climate-adapted methods in viniculture. In the first part of the project, rel- Total budget in euro: evant methods will be implemented on demonstration 1,467,099.00 areas of the Kloster Pforta vineyard in the Saale-Unstrut area of Saxony-Anhalt. The second half of the project EC contribution in euro: will see these methods tested in other commercial 839,447.00 vineyards in the region, as well as at the demonstration vineyard of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
These trials will allow the project to evaluate the climate • Quantitative success indicators to measure erosion, change adaptation measures in relation to the added pest, fungi, water stress and biodiversity; value of the ecosystem services provided by the vine- • Guidelines for winemakers and related professionals yards. Ecosystem-based approaches, focusing on syner- outlining specific actions based on the project results gies between nature protection, climate protection and and the inclusion of recommendations of a cost- climate adaptation are more cost-efficient than techni- benefit-analysis of vineyards using resource-efficient cal solutions. In this way, the project aims to contribute methods; and to the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change by • Creation of six permanent jobs. supporting adaptation actions in vulnerable mountain areas with an emphasis on sustainable and resilient ag- ricultural, forestry and tourism sectors.
Expected results • Use of regional seed mixtures and planting of cover crops at 4 ha intervals to increase erosion control, preserve water retention and promote humidification; • Vine rows managed through sheep grazing to the benefit of threatened plant and animal species, as well as the vines; • Vine stocks given more space in order to foster the growth of leaves and root systems, leading to a high- er resistance against droughts; • The dense grape structures loosened to decrease disease susceptibility and to lower stress sensitivity;