
Production woodlands are an important ecosystem that should provide not only wood but also ecosystem services such as habitat for wildlife, non-timber forest products, carbon sequestration, and recreation opportunities. These woodlands are threatened by several factors, including wildfires, pests, and invasive species, and conservation corridors can help mitigate these threats while providing essential habitat for native fauna and flora. The objective of this proposal is to support with scientific information that conservation corridors should be kept worldwide in wood production areas, based on the study case of Matas Litorais in coastal central Portugal, a pine woodland burnt in 2017 and currently being restored. To address this, a conservation corridor will be installed along a water line, and the invasive Acacia sp. will be transformed in soil amendment, native flora species such as Corema album will be introduced, and the return of endangered animal species such as the Oryctolagus cuniculus will be monitored. Since in situ observations of restoration actions are labor-intensive and restricted to small temporal and spatial scales, occasionally failing to detect emerging issues in a timely manner, methodologies to monitor vegetation
establishment and evaluate ecosystem health based on remote sensing data will be developed. Remarkably, research on conservation corridors in production woodlands remains limited and this study pioneers by assessing both costs and benefits, yielding holistic insights into the potential of these corridors in sustaining ecosystems worldwide. The proposed research plan encompasses all steps of a restoration action for biodiversity conservation, from the preparation of an intervention plan to implementation, monitoring, and cost-benefit analysis, always with the necessary scientific information and stakeholder involvement. The plan also includes an interdisciplinary research team with complementary knowledge to ensure successful outcomes.


