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Rural Renaissance, Multifunctional Landscapes, and Climate Adaptation: Trilogy Proposal from Grassroots Innovation and Participatory Action Research Projects

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Handbook of Climate Change Management

Abstract

Portugal’s geographical location makes it vulnerable to climate change events like heat waves, wildfires, drought, floods, and sea-level rise. Inland Portugal is a low-density region due to rural exodus and migration. For long years traditional farming has produced cultural landscapes, some of which are classified as nature protected areas and cultural heritage. As climate change is increasing extreme events, temperature, heat waves, drought, and water scarcity, these areas are more exposed to wildfires accentuated by the lack of adequate local fire management and simultaneously facing depopulation and social changes. Preserving these landscapes requires in some cases a rural renaissance approach based on diverse multifunctional landscapes and climate adaptation strategies that enables restoration of ecosystems and an increase in labor and employment based on locals or newcomers. The chapter presents six case studies in Alentejo associated with grassroots initiatives that explore and demonstrate different aspects of how multifunctional landscapes and participatory action research can promote rural renaissance and climate change adaptation. Mértola has a history of integrated local development and is now innovating in solutions to create a local food supply chain and support the diversification of the ecosystem protection and regeneration. Aldeia das Amoreiras developed a participatory model of a dream village and a permaculture design to its implementation. Tamera is an intentional ecovillage focused on peace learning, which has implemented and disseminated an adaptation measure and approach called water retention landscapes. Herdade da Coitadinha, Herdade do Freixo do Meio, and Herdade da Ribeira Abaixo adopted specific climate adaptation plans, and crop plans were designed and implemented with the support of the EU LIFE funding. Herdade do Freixo do Meio is the most visible example and demonstration of diverse multifunctional landscape management in Montado.

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Acknowledgments

André Vizinho and Carla Nogueira thank the support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for their PhD grant PD/BD/113929/2015 and SFRH/BD /117398/2016, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    André Vizinho

  2. SunRoots, Lisbon, Portugal

    Maria Inês Cabral

  3. CIEO – Research Centre for Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, Faculty of Economy, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal

    Carla Nogueira

  4. Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH/NOVA), Lisbon, Portugal

    Iva Pires

  5. Centre for Eco-socioeconomic Studies, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Patrícia Bilotta

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  1. André Vizinho
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  2. Maria Inês Cabral
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  3. Carla Nogueira
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  4. Iva Pires
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  5. Patrícia Bilotta
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. FTZ-ALS, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. School of Social Sciences, CHC Higher Education, Carindale, Australia

    Johannes Luetz

  3. Center for Food Security Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Desalegn Ayal

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Vizinho, A., Cabral, M.I., Nogueira, C., Pires, I., Bilotta, P. (2021). Rural Renaissance, Multifunctional Landscapes, and Climate Adaptation: Trilogy Proposal from Grassroots Innovation and Participatory Action Research Projects. In: Leal Filho, W., Luetz, J., Ayal, D. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22759-3_55-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22759-3_55-1

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