Cécile AlbertScientist

BioValidR addresses the urgent need for evidence-based nature restoration planning in response to targets set out in Europe's Nature Restoration Law of restoring 20% of land area. Current restoration efforts fall short because they target area-based objectives and rely on uncertain map-based planning. This leads to uncertain returns on investment, low political priority and weak stakeholder engagement. A critical gap to optimise resource allocation and break these negative feedback loops is the absence of tools to assess the biological potential of restoration scenarios before implementation.

Our objective is to develop and validate a toolkit that quantifies the biological outcomes of restoration scenarios. This will be achieved by integrating individual-level biodiversity modelling with experimental microcosm systems. Enabling us to make direct comparisons between alternative restoration designs, it will reveal which combinations of patch size, connectivity and habitat composition maximise species support and associated ecosystem function. This will ensure more cost-efficient restoration projects, improved biodiversity outcomes, enhanced ecosystem service value and more sustainable, resilient restored territories.

We aim to: 1) develop toolkit prototype with experimental hardware and modelling software, 2) provide real-case application of toolkit by biologically-validating scenarios of urban green space restoration in the Plaine Commune Territories (FR), 3) explore commercialisation pathways, scalability and IP-securing of innovation with a market analyses and engagement of potential end-users.

Expected outcomes include the development of hardware and software tools that will enable pre-implementation comparison and validation of restoration scenarios. This represents a paradigm shift, moving from descriptive mapping to biology-based planning and empowering smarter restoration that safeguards biodiversity while maximising ecological and financial benefits.