{"id":122485,"date":"2026-01-30T09:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T08:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/?p=122485"},"modified":"2026-01-30T09:17:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T08:17:52","slug":"soil-regeneration-spain-inbestsoil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/en\/2026\/01\/30\/soil-regeneration-spain-inbestsoil\/","title":{"rendered":"Soil regeneration across Spain: Insights from the InBestSoil experimental sites and field-level observations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Europe searches for resilient agricultural solutions in the face of climate pressure and declining soil fertility, the InBestSoil project<\/strong> offers grounded perspectives from three very different Spanish landscapes. The experimental sites in Extremadura, Cartagena, and Touro reveal how soil regeneration unfolds when scientific expertise, local knowledge, and long-term commitment work together.<\/p>\n

\"InBestSoil<\/p>\n

Project coordinator & researcher Dr. Andr\u00e9s Rodr\u00edguez Seijo, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Vigo (Ourense, Spain), emphasises why soil health has become a defining priority for Europe\u2019s agricultural future. \u201cSoil health is becoming the cornerstone of Europe\u2019s agricultural future. It underpins crop productivity, water efficiency, biodiversity, and resilience to global change,\u201d<\/strong> he explains. Rebuilding organic matter, restoring biological activity, and improving soil structure, he adds, represent both environmental and economic necessities. \u201cInvesting in soil is not just an environmental ambition, it\u2019s an economic necessity and the most reliable way to protect the long-term viability of European farming.\u201d Across all experimental sites, early results indicate that regenerative practices are scalable and economically grounded. \u201cWe\u2019re observing better ground cover, improved water infiltration and greater biological activity,\u201d Andr\u00e9s notes. \u201cYields can remain stable or even begin to recover as soils become more functional<\/strong>. In some cases, although yields can be a bit lower, this reduction is compensated for by lower labor costs.<\/p>\n

In Extremadura, the El Bald\u00edo dehesa shows how quickly soil recovery can begin when grazing systems are redesigned. Elena de Juli\u00e1n, Project Technician at Fundaci\u00f3n Global Nature and Coordinator of the El Bald\u00edo Experimental Site, describes the 230-hectare estate as a traditional Mediterranean oak woodland shaped by livestock for centuries. \u201cOur goal is to develop a profitable grazing model that restores soil health and biodiversity,\u201d<\/strong> she says. After seven years of regenerative management, the results are visible. \u201cRotational grazing is helping us increase pasture quality and diversity, reduce bare soil, and decrease degraded scrubland. We\u2019re improving the soil\u2019s moisture retention capacity and the amount of stored carbon,\u201d she explains. Elena notes that grazing animals play an essential ecological role. \u201cThe controlled impact of livestock activates microorganisms and invertebrates like dung beetles, which improve soil fertility and ecosystem quality”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Investing in soil is both an ecological commitment and a strategic economic opportunity for Europe’s farming systems<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the Cartagena-La Uni\u00f3n mining district, the task is far more complex. Dr. Virginia S\u00e1nchez Navarro, Researcher in the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the Technical University of Cartagena, describes the starting point starkly: \u201cThese soils face contamination, hyperacidification, extremely low organic matter, and a lack of vegetation cover.\u201d<\/strong> Working alongside Dr. Jorge Luis S\u00e1nchez Navarro, Researcher in the Department of Business Economics at the Technical University of Cartagena, she applies a strategy combining industrial and livestock-derived amendments with native, metal-tolerant vegetation. \u201cWe see early improvements in soil structure, a marked reduction in erosion, and the emergence of vegetation in previously bare areas,\u201d Virginia says. Jorge Luis adds a financial perspective: \u201cThe objective is not only to rehabilitate soil but to assess and value its ecosystem services so that restoration becomes viable for landowners.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Galicia, the Touro site offers yet another layer of complexity. Javier de Rivera Outomuro, Project Manager and Coordinator of the Touro Experimental Site, explains that the former copper mine operated between 1973 and 1988, leaving behind soils deeply impacted by acidic drainage and heavy metals. \u201cThe soils formed on the settling pond and mine spoils have serious problems due to acidic drainage and extremely high concentrations of heavy metals,\u201d<\/strong> he says. The sulphide-rich geological substrate, containing pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite, created a harsh environment for both soil life and vegetation.<\/p>\n

\"InBestSoil<\/p>\n

Remediation began in the late 1990s, when the team realised that local materials alone could not restore the soil. \u201cThe proposed and approved plan was based on the use of external materials, given the impossibility of recovering exclusively with the mine\u2019s own materials,\u201d Javier explains. Over time, non-toxic organic and industrial by-products with high acid-neutralisation capacity, such as mussel shells and biomass ashes, were applied to rebuild soil structure and reduce contamination. \u201cAfter several years of testing and application, the area was highly improved in terms of soil structure, pollution reduction, and increase of biodiversity<\/strong>,\u201d he notes. A reactive wetland was also established to treat acidic drainage and raise water pH, accelerating the return of ecological functions. Beyond Touro, Javier highlights the site\u2019s broader impact. \u201cThe lessons learned here have been used to develop a technology that has been successfully applied in other mining and industrial areas with similar problems, with a focus on the reuse of waste from a circular economy perspective.”<\/p>\n

Local engagement differs across the regions. In Extremadura, growing interest in regenerative grazing is supported by Fundaci\u00f3n Global Nature\u2019s outreach efforts. \u201cWe know our responsibility as a lighthouse in implementing these techniques,\u201d Elena de Juli\u00e1n says. \u201cMany people are still reluctant because change requires knowledge, effort, and an initial investment. But we are confident that more will join, and that institutions will truly support this transition.\u201d In Cartagena and Touro, support tends to be more cautious, shaped by the technical complexity and the long timelines typical of mining restoration.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Andr\u00e9s Rodr\u00edguez Seijo envisions a future in which soil improvements are recognised and rewarded. \u201cWe are moving toward a future where soil health will be something farmers can measure clearly, compare fairly, and be rewarded for improving,\u201d<\/strong> he says. Standardised indicators and verification methods, combining laboratory analysis, field assessments, and remote sensing, could embed soil health into both public policy and emerging market mechanisms. Across Spain\u2019s three experimental sites, one lesson stands out: even severely degraded soils can recover when ecological science, adaptive management, and long-term collaboration align.<\/p>\n

InBestSoil<\/strong> is a European research and innovation project dedicated to developing practical and economically viable pathways for soil regeneration. Bringing together universities, research centres, NGOs, farmers, land The experimental sites in Extremadura, Cartagena, and Touro managers, and industry partners across Europe, the project explores how soil health can be measured, restored, and integrated into future policy and market frameworks. Through experimental sites in Spain, the Netherlands, and other European regions, InBestSoil tests field-based solutions that rebuild soil structure, enhance biodiversity, improve carbon storage, and strengthen the long-term resilience of agricultural landscapes.<\/p>\n