LP2017-22/2017 (2017-2022) Lendület II. project
New frontiers in restoration: Ecological theories provide strong support to develop and sustain green infrastructure
Project leader: Péter Török
For developing and sustaining green infrastructure the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in natural and traditionally managed habitats is crucial. Our ultimate goal was to develop and test ways to link biodiversity conservation, sustainable management and restoration in order to meet the major challenges related to land use, climate change adaptation and human well-being.
To sustain human well-being and the quality of life, it is essential to develop and support green infrastructure (i.e. strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services). For developing and sustaining green infrastructure the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in natural and traditionally managed habitats is crucial. Species-rich landscapes and natural habitats are facing large-scale degradation caused by the intensified land-use. The loss of biodiversity also strongly affected the landscape functionality via the decreased levels of pollination and biological pest control. Habitat restoration is a powerful tool to counteract degradation by the recovery of former species richness and area of natural habitats and by creating a habitat network and connectivity in landscapes dominated by human influence. Thus, habitat restoration has a top priority both in scientific research and in practice. There is a strong demand to seek cost-effective habitat management and recovery strategies, because of the high costs of technical restoration. Incorporating findings of theoretical ecology into practical restoration can address this request. Our ultimate goal was to develop and test ways to link biodiversity conservation, sustainable management and restoration in order to meet the major challenges related to land use, climate change adaptation and human well-being.