Ahead of the DRYAD Mid-term Event, Portuguese stakeholders gathered at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) in Lisbon on 29 September for a dedicated regional workshop on the adoption and implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in the Alentejo region.
The session brought together 28 participants, including project partners and stakeholders with different perspectives and experiences working with agro-silvo-pastoral systems in Portugal. The workshop provided an opportunity to present DRYAD’s objectives, the results of the project’s NbS survey distributed among farmers and landowners in Portugal in 2025, and discuss the five Nature-based Solutions selected for the Alentejo Demonstration Region: biochar, wildfire prevention, natural islands, early detection of tree mortality and artificial ponds. They were identified following a co-creation process with the DRYAD regional leaders and local stakeholders, via workshops, analysis of the NbS survey results for Portugal, and ongoing collaboration and engagement building on existing and previous projects carried out with regional stakeholders.
Sharing local knowledge and perspectives
During the workshop, participants were encouraged to exchange views and experiences on the practical implementation of the five selected NbS in the region. The discussions focused particularly on the barriers and enabling factors influencing the adoption of each of the selected NbS. Costs and bureaucracy were identified as important obstacles, while the potential of circular economy approaches, long-term and quantifiable environmental and economic benefits, and improved knowledge sharing were highlighted as key factors that could support adoption. Participants also explored which indicators could be meaningful at local level when assessing the effectiveness and performance of each solution. Cost and cost-benefit analyses were considered cross-cutting indicators to assess effectiveness for all five NbS, alongside more specific indicators such as soil organic matter, water availability, and natural regeneration rate. These indicators reflect the need to measure both the environmental impacts and the practical feasibility of implementing NbS in the Alentejo context.
This was the second workshop with regional stakeholders, and we thank everyone for their time and contributions. The feedback from Portuguese stakeholders will help connect DRYAD’s technical work with local knowledge and perspectives, providing valuable input for the project’s activities in the Alentejo Demonstration Region.
