Rural landscape hEritage and CArbon sequeSTration

Project Information

RhECAST

Grant agreement ID: 101105219

DOI

10.3030/101105219

EC signature date 5 April 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 288 859,20

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RhECAST (Rural landscape hEritage and CArbon sequeSTration)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

RhECAST (Rural Landscape Heritage and Carbon Sequestration) addresses the growing need to reconcile climate change mitigation with the preservation of Europe’s cultural landscapes. Across many European regions, traditional agroforestry systems and historical agricultural landscapes have been progressively abandoned or simplified during the twentieth century due to agricultural intensification and socio-economic transformation. While these landscapes represent an important component of Europe’s cultural heritage, they also embody long-term land management practices that may contribute to climate mitigation through carbon sequestration, soil conservation and sustainable land use. However, the environmental and socio-economic value of these historical land-use systems remains poorly quantified, limiting their integration into contemporary environmental and agricultural policy frameworks.

The project aims to investigate how historical rural landscapes, particularly traditional agroforestry systems, have influenced carbon dynamics and land-use sustainability over the long term. By combining landscape archaeology, geoarchaeology, environmental modelling and socio-economic analysis, RhECAST seeks to reconstruct past land-use patterns and evaluate their potential contribution to carbon sequestration and climate mitigation strategies. The project integrates approaches from the natural sciences with methods from the social sciences and humanities, including historical landscape analysis and cultural heritage studies, in order to better understand the interactions between human land-use practices and environmental processes.

The research focuses on modelling carbon emissions and sequestration associated with historical agricultural landscapes and exploring how these insights can inform future land management and policy strategies. Advanced environmental and socio-economic modelling tools are used to assess the feasibility and potential impacts of reintroducing or adapting historical agroforestry practices within contemporary agricultural systems. In this way, the project contributes to ongoing international efforts to promote sustainable land management and climate resilience while safeguarding cultural landscape heritage.

By generating new interdisciplinary knowledge on the environmental and socio-economic benefits of historical land-use systems, RhECAST aims to support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable rural development and climate policy. The results of the project are expected to contribute to broader European and global discussions on climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture, highlighting how insights from historical landscapes can inform innovative strategies for managing present and future environmental challenges.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the reporting period, the RhECAST project focused on analysing the role of historical rural landscapes in carbon dynamics and evaluating the potential contribution of traditional land management systems to climate change mitigation. The research activities combined geospatial analysis, environmental modelling and interdisciplinary approaches to investigate how historical agroforestry landscapes may influence carbon sequestration over the long term.
The first phase of the work consisted of the collection and organisation of spatial datasets describing land use and landscape structure in selected case study areas. Historical cartographic sources, remote sensing data and other geospatial information were integrated within a GIS environment in order to reconstruct the spatial configuration of past agricultural landscapes. Particular attention was given to identifying historical agroforestry systems and mixed agricultural practices that may have contributed to long term carbon storage in both vegetation and soils.
A second phase of the project focused on the development of analytical and modelling workflows aimed at assessing carbon sequestration under different land use scenarios. Spatial modelling techniques were implemented to estimate the carbon storage potential associated with traditional agroforestry landscapes and to explore how landscape transformations during the twentieth century may have affected carbon balances. These modelling approaches allowed the comparison between historical land management systems and more simplified agricultural configurations.
The project also advanced the integration between environmental reconstruction and socio economic modelling approaches. In collaboration with the host institution during the outgoing phase, modelling frameworks were explored to analyse the potential impacts of reintroducing or adapting historical agroforestry practices within contemporary agricultural systems. These analyses aimed to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of such practices for climate mitigation strategies.
Overall, the main achievements of the reporting period include the development of integrated geospatial datasets describing historical rural landscapes, the implementation of modelling approaches to assess carbon sequestration potential associated with traditional agroforestry systems, and the establishment of a multidisciplinary framework linking historical landscape research with climate mitigation analysis. These results provide a scientific basis for understanding how historical land use practices may contribute to current and future strategies aimed at enhancing carbon sequestration in rural landscapes.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

RhECAST advances current research by introducing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of carbon sequestration in historical rural landscapes. While many existing studies focus on contemporary land management systems, the project investigates how long term historical land use practices, particularly traditional agroforestry systems, may influence carbon storage and climate mitigation potential. By integrating historical landscape reconstruction with environmental and socio economic modelling, the project provides a new perspective on the role that cultural landscapes can play in future climate strategies.
One of the main innovations of the project lies in the development of spatially explicit analytical frameworks that combine historical land use data with environmental modelling tools. This approach makes it possible to analyse how changes in landscape structure and agricultural practices over time have influenced carbon sequestration potential. By comparing historical agroforestry landscapes with more simplified agricultural systems, the project contributes new knowledge on the environmental benefits of diversified land management practices.
The project also contributes to bridging the gap between environmental sciences, social sciences and the humanities. Historical landscape analysis and cultural heritage studies are integrated with environmental modelling in order to better understand the interactions between human land use decisions and long term environmental processes. This interdisciplinary perspective helps to highlight the relevance of historical knowledge for addressing contemporary environmental challenges.
The results of the project provide a scientific basis for evaluating the potential of traditional agroforestry systems as part of sustainable land management strategies. The modelling approaches developed during the project can support the design of future land use scenarios aimed at enhancing carbon sequestration while maintaining the cultural and ecological value of rural landscapes. In the broader policy context, the outcomes of RhECAST contribute to ongoing European and international discussions on climate mitigation, sustainable agriculture and landscape conservation. By demonstrating how historical land use systems may offer valuable insights for present day environmental policies, the project helps to inform evidence based strategies for climate action and sustainable rural development. Further research and collaboration will be important to expand the application of these approaches to other regions and landscape types. Continued integration between environmental modelling, historical landscape research and socio economic analysis will support the development of innovative land management solutions that combine climate mitigation objectives with the preservation of cultural landscape heritage.