The objective of LANDSUPPORT is the construction of a free, web-based smart geoSpatial Decision Support System (S-DSS), consisting of a powerful set of tools aimed at (i) supporting sustainable agriculture/forestry, (ii) evaluating trade-offs between land uses (including spatial planning) and (iii) contributing to the implementation of land-related policies.
The project’s objective is achieved through the integration of already existing databases (interoperability) at different scales with the development of high performance modelling engines simulating processes occurring in agriculture and forestry (e.g.crop growth), as well environmental issues (e.g. pollution, ecosystem services). The S-DSS consists of 15 different families of tools, each with a different focus, for example, an agricultural tool for farmers, ecotourism-related tools, or a tool on land take for spatial planners. Selected tools for farmers and public authorities are designed to evaluate specific practices relating, for example, to nitrogen leaching or changes in soil organic carbon.
Scenario analyses can be produced by simulating the impact on the environment of different types of actions, both in terms of spatial planning and management of the agricultural sector.
The toolbox developed as part of LANDSUPPORT has been applied in a variety of contexts, with examples including:
- The implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for Italy
- Obtaining public funds from the Campania Region by viticulture farmers in the Telesina Valley
- The use of land take tools by the Council of European Spatial Planners
