Part of a new generation of strategies for the recovery of degraded areas in science, the initiative is aligned with the principles of the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy (IMH), promoted by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), which guides actions to avoid, minimize, remedy, and compensate for environmental impacts, especially on biodiversity and carbon emissions.
The project develops and improves techniques for the Recovery of Degraded Areas (RAD), with emphasis on the selection and propagation of adapted native species, the control of invasive exotic species, the assessment of soil quality, and the implementation of innovative environmental monitoring systems. The project is structured around four work fronts, ranging from the physical-chemical characterization of soils and waste to the use of technologies such as drones, hyperspectral sensors, and environmental genomics to monitor the fauna and flora in the recovery areas.
The RAD 4.0 project is also based on a solid knowledge base built up since 2015 with the previous RAD projects, which have already resulted in important scientific and operational milestones, such as the definition of key performance indicators (KPIs), spectral diversity methodologies, and environmental monitoring protocols.