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The ForPeat consortium met in Portugal to review progress and visit the Paul da Gouxa Open Lab. Read more
From 28 to 30 April 2026, the ForPeat consortium gathered in Alpiarça, Portugal, for its first semi-annual meeting, bringing together project partners for two days of discussion, collaboration, and strategic planning. The meeting provided an important opportunity to review progress across work packages, exchange insights, and align priorities for the months ahead as the project moves forward.
Throughout the sessions, partners presented updates on ongoing research and activities, highlighting key developments across the Open Labs and technical work. A key highlight of the meeting was the visit to the ForPeat Open Lab at Paul da Gouxa Nature Reserve. This site serves as a real-world testing ground for exploring alternative land management strategies within a complex and dynamic ecosystem. The research carried out at this Open Lab focuses on assessing the trade-offs between different approaches, including strict conservation, the restoration of agricultural areas that are still in use, and the continuation of current farming practices.
Given the region’s drought-prone conditions, particular attention is being paid to how different interventions may impact the ecosystem, especially during the summer months. This includes evaluating the potential effects of measures such as vegetation cutting or rewetting, which, while beneficial in some contexts, may pose risks under specific climatic conditions. The work carried out here aims to generate practical, site-specific knowledge that can inform more resilient and adaptive peatland management strategies.
As the project progresses, meetings such as this play a key role in maintaining alignment, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that ForPeat continues to deliver impactful solutions for the sustainable management and restoration of Europe’s peatlands.