The Added Value of Long-term Ecological Research (eLTER) Site Network to Upscale Restoration

In September 2024, at the 14th European Conference on Ecological Restoration (SERE2024) in Tartu, Estonia, a session titled "The Added Value of Long-term Ecological Research (eLTER) Site Network to Upscale Restoration" was organized by Bruna Paolinelli Reis, Melinda Halassy, Alice Nunes, and Katalin Török from the Restoration Ecology groups in Portugal and Hungary. The session, chaired by Melinda Halassy and Bruna Paolinelli Reis, began with a full room of more than 35 participants.

In the first part six presentations, each lasting 10 minutes introduced the topic (Figure 1). Katalin Török kicked off with an introduction on linking eLTER with ecological restoration. Bruna Paolinelli Reis followed with a presentation on the results of a questionnaire regarding ecosystem restoration within the eLTER community and the added value of the eLTER network for scaling up restoration efforts. This was followed by three case studies:

Figure 1. a) Katalin Török and b) Bruna Paolinelli Reis presenting the introduction of the session; c) Alice Nunes, d) Melinda Halassy and e) Nóra Sáradi presenting the long-term restoration case studies in Portugal and Hungary, respectively; f) Katalin Szitár showcasing the planning of an ecological restoration knowledge hub under eLTER.

Alice Nunes presented long-term restoration projects from Portugal, while Melinda Halassy and Nóra Sáradi covered similar projects from Hungary. Katalin Szitár concluded the presentations with an inspiring talk on planning an ecological restoration knowledge hub within the eLTER research infrastructure.

Following the presentations, there was a 10-minute Q&A session where presenters addressed key questions, particularly concerning the opportunities of integration of long-term restoration projects to the eLTER network.

In the final segment, after providing an overview of eLTER and its potential benefits for scaling up restoration and supporting the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), participants were divided into three groups of 4-5 people each. Alice Nunes, Katalin Török, and Melinda Halassy moderated the discussions, while Bruna P. Reis managed the timing and answered group questions. 

The groups discussed three main questions over 20 minutes: 1) What functions/activities would you propose for a Restoration Knowledge Hub in eLTER and how could you contribute?; 2) What do you think is the special added value of eLTER regarding policy support for upscaling ecosystem restoring?; 3) Do you think the eLTER Restoration Knowledge Hub could help in the implementation of the NRL, and if yes, how? (Figure 2)

Figure 2. Group discussions.

In summary, the groups suggested that RKH activities/functions should include sharing restoration data, expertise (such as lessons learned, expert contacts, and project locations), developing and sharing standardized monitoring protocols, and engaging local communities in restoration projects (e.g. outreach activities). The perceived added value of eLTER for scaling up restoration includes providing long-term datasets from extensive areas and different ecosystem types (e.g. reference ecosystems), enhancing modelling and predictions on what may or may not work under different conditions, facilitating knowledge sharing, and ensuring consistency in data and approaches (standard observations) — areas that are often lacking, particularly at practitioner-driven ecological restoration projects.

Finally, the participants suggested that the RKH could support the implementation of the NRL by standardizing protocols, which would enhance comparability across scales, ecosystems, interventions, and strategies. It could also provide guidance for practitioners outside of academia, help in selecting the most effective long-term restoration strategies, and leverage a diverse network of experts and data-driven recommendations. Additionally, the long-term knowledge gained on the variability of natural, semi-natural (reference), and restored ecosystems would enable more robust project evaluations, predictions, and target selections.