Project N° LIFE13/ENV/IT/001218 LIFE+ SAM4CP is a project co-funded by the LIFE+ Programme Environmental Policy and Governance Layman’s Report Soil is life: do not damage it! LIFE SAM4CP 1 Soil management models for public benefit 2 LIFE SAM4CP project aims at the limi- The project, developed between June tation of land take for urban purposes, 2014 and June 2018, focused on the fol- in addition to the preservation and im- lowing goals: provement of ecosystem services (E.S.), • showing to what extent land planning, which are freely provided by soil. that integrates in decision-making processes an evaluation of environ- This project has set up a computer tool, mental benefits granted by free soil, 3 defined simulator, following the Guide- provides a considerable reduction in lines on best practices to limit, mitigate or land take and an overall saving for the compensate soil sealing engaged by a community, thanks to the preservation working group of European Commission of natural and public financial re- (SWD(2012)101final), where they highlight sources; the variety of functions and services that • enhancing and complementing in local soil supplies, most of which have direct government tools 7 E.C. ( carbon cap- and indirect benefits to man and also to ture, biodiversities, purification of 4 economy. The simulator evaluates reper- water – characterized by nutrient re- cussions, not only at environmental levels tention and water availability –, erosion but also at economic levels, of urban de- of soil, timber production, pollination, velopment planning. crop production); This tool, in order to be tested and im- • protecting and providing a sustainable proved, has been experimented showing use of soil resource, highlighting the satisfactory outcomes in the arrange- negative effects of land take for the ment of urban modifications provided by environmental evaluation of a land; 5 four Municipalities of the Metropolitan • preserving and enhancing the overall City of Turin. These Municipalities were ecosystem functions freely offered by selected by a public request of interest in soil to the community; addition to their diverse characteristics • avoiding public costs from the restora- 1 Discovering land: from a morphological, demographic and tion of ecosystem functions provided Casalborgone socioeconomic point of view. by soil as well as land maintenance; 2 Discovering land: Chieri • protecting agricultural functions of soil by keeping the other functions unal- 3 International Seminar tered. of Turin 4 Discovering land: Bruino 5 Educational moment: Middle school of None 2 Did you know LIFE SAM4CP that free lands of the Metropolitan City of Turin 1 are able to store Soil management models Land take 4.3 million tons for public benefit and ecosystem services of carbon? Tackling the problem 2 LIFE SAM4CP project aims at the limi- The project, developed between June Land is a finite, brittle and non-renew- On the other hand, we should always tation of land take for urban purposes, 2014 and June 2018, focused on the fol- able resource ‘consumed’ by man: bear in mind that a soil at natural condi- in addition to the preservation and im- lowing goals: housing, streets, railways, harbours, fac- tions, besides its intrinsic value, provides provement of ecosystem services (E.S.), • showing to what extent land planning, tories are increasingly located on con- humanity with numerous “services” that which are freely provided by soil. that integrates in decision-making siderable portions of sealed soil, in are indispensable not only to life preser- processes an evaluation of environ- addition to that, they alter its character- vation, but also to a working economy: This project has set up a computer tool, mental benefits granted by free soil, istics irreversibly. crop pollination, availability of freshwater, 3 defined simulator, following the Guide- provides a considerable reduction in However, there is a lacking awareness of lands fertility, protection from floods, car- lines on best practices to limit, mitigate or land take and an overall saving for the the possible consequences that the in- bon capture and storage, biodiversity compensate soil sealing engaged by a community, thanks to the preservation creasing sealing and urbanization might, preservation, supply of raw material are working group of European Commission of natural and public financial re- as a matter of fact, implicate; or at least just some of the numerous services pro- (SWD(2012)101final), where they highlight sources; we only become aware of environmental vided by “Natural Capital”. the variety of functions and services that • enhancing and complementing in local damages when they are evident and re- Land take dangerously prevents free soil supplies, most of which have direct government tools 7 E.C. ( carbon cap- quire expensive actions to remedy. areas from performing such precious and indirect benefits to man and also to ture, biodiversities, purification of 4 functions. economy. The simulator evaluates reper- water – characterized by nutrient re- cussions, not only at environmental levels tention and water availability –, erosion A positive urban development planning but also at economic levels, of urban de- of soil, timber production, pollination, should be able to limit further land take velopment planning. crop production); and forecast transformations of new This tool, in order to be tested and im- • protecting and providing a sustainable Did you know that free land portions, taking into account proved, has been experimented showing use of soil resource, highlighting the the importance of preserving land satisfactory outcomes in the arrange- negative effects of land take for the in the Metropolitan ecosystem functions. 5 ment of urban modifications provided by environmental evaluation of a land; City of Turin, This might not only grant four Municipalities of the Metropolitan • preserving and enhancing the overall community the preservation City of Turin. These Municipalities were ecosystem functions freely offered by between 1990 of a finite and non-renew- selected by a public request of interest in soil to the community; able resource, but also addition to their diverse characteristics • avoiding public costs from the restora- 1 Discovering land: and today, the saving of public fi- from a morphological, demographic and tion of ecosystem functions provided Casalborgone 53,000 hectares nance. socioeconomic point of view. by soil as well as land maintenance; 2 Discovering land: Chieri • protecting agricultural functions of soil of land by keeping the other functions unal- 3 International Seminar (almost the size tered. of Turin 4 Discovering land: Bruino of Madrid) 5 Educational moment: were used? Middle school of None 2 3 Ecosystem services analysed by SAM4CP Habitat quality it is a supporting service that checks natural ecosystems’ quality in order to preserve the biological and genetic di- versity of land. Carbon capture and storage It is a regulating service of the soil. It is essential for the biodiversity, the mitigation and adaption to climate changes. Crop pollination It is an essential regulating and provisioning E.S. for the productivity of numerous crops. The reproduction of most plants and the subsequent production of food for con- sumption by animals and humans, partly rely on wild pol- linator species. Crop production It is a provisioning E.S. linked to human use of soil for pro- ductivity purposes. Agricultural land covers 40 of the % Earth’s surface. Timber production Ecosystem services It is a provisioning E.S. directly linked to the quality of the analysed by SAM4CP land and the market of goods. Habitat quality Water availability it is a supporting service that checks natural ecosystems’ It is a regulating E.S. that enables the storage and provide quality in order to preserve the biological and genetic di- considerable amount of water to surface vegetation, be- versity of land. fore this water flows on the surface or infiltrates due to refill processes of deep aquifer basins. This service re- duces the possibility of floods thanks to a better soil drainage. Carbon capture and storage Nutrient retention It is a regulating service of the soil. It is essential for the It is a regulating E.S. provided by water and land ecosys- biodiversity, the mitigation and adaption to climate tems that contributes to filter and rot organic waste that changes. reach groundwater, sea and coastal ecosystems, contribut- ing to potable water supply. Crop pollination Sediment retention It is an essential regulating and provisioning E.S. for the It is a regulating E.S. in which soil in good conditions mit- productivity of numerous crops. The reproduction of most igates the loss of the surface land layer (the richest in or- plants and the subsequent production of food for con- ganic matter) as a consequence of the action of surface sumption by animals and humans, partly rely on wild pol- run-off waters and rains. linator species. Crop production It is a provisioning E.S. linked to human use of soil for pro- ductivity purposes. Agricultural land covers 40 of the % Earth’s surface. 5 PLAYSOIL A web tool to evaluate the effects of different types of land transformations on ecosystem services Playsoil is an information and awareness raising web tool created by LIFE SAM4CP. It is based on GIS system and it is free. Its aim is to raise awareness on the value of ecosystems on land and to introduce, through some simple simulations, to what extent and what we would lose de- pending on how and where we decide to transform land. It provides a map reading of the services’ allocation provided by land, in addition to a cartographic presentation enhanced by the following features: • tables and histograms that provide the quantity of the current biophysical value of each E.S., and the simulation of current economical and biophysical values of a surface area of maximum 1,000,000 m2; • graphic tools which summarize current (biophysical) and projected (biophysi- cal and economical) values.