Truffles are esteemed edible fungi and one of the most valuable non-wood forest products that grow in symbiotic association with their host trees. They are of high economic and social value and their cultivation is of significant interest in the development of rural areas in European countries, but increasingly also in other continents. However, it has been observed a decline of wild truffle production and a heterogeneity in the truffle yields in new plantations, mainly due to the lack of enough knowledge about the ecology and management of the fungi. Accordingly, this MSCA-RISE project aims at establishing a multi-lateral network of research and innovation staff active in sustainable use of both wild and cultivated truffles, including the cultivation, but also pre-treatment, preservation and processing of the truffles. Particular attention will be paid at issues related to the juridical and normative framework for a traceability legislation for each country involved and to rules on collecting wild truffles in Europe. The research capacities will be strengthened through the exchange of knowledge and expertise on a shared research and training program providing a stronger transnational cooperation and better connections between actors committed to research and production on the truffles value chain. The involvement of Non-Academic Organisations will ease the sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to all levels of the truffle value chain. The joint Intersectoral and Interdisciplinary exchange program will involve 17 Academic and Non-Academic Beneficiaries and Partners and will be performed through a series of short-and long-term periods of staff exchanges. The program will run over 4 years thus allowing the broad portfolio of exchanges to be performed. The planned program of secondments is extensive and involves a range of scientific activities from technical skills exchange and training, to methodological development and planning of future new research.

In eco2adapt we will develop the Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) framework, derived from Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), that harnesses biodiversity and ecosystem services to reduce vulnerability and build social-ecological resilience to climate change. We will work in Living Labs in Europe and China, located in climate hotspots, and adopt a cutting-edge Decision Theatre approach to investigate how forest managers integrate disturbance and vulnerability into decision-making. Scenarios of how disturbance affects forest dynamics and ecosystem services at a landscape scale will be derived through modelling, and in Living Labs, stakeholders will learn how their choices affect ecosystem services in neighbouring forests. We will combine interdisciplinary knowledge from scientists and stakeholders in Europe and China to understand perception and provide incentivization for adopting EbA solutions, through local capacity-building and national policy plans. Through the same Decision Theatre methodology, we will use a capacity-building approach to create and promote innovative technical, economic and governance mechanisms at a regional level. Semantic technology will be applied to create a knowledge base for hosting FAIR data and creating a SmartPhone Application (named the OneForest ToolBox) that allows users to access and add data concerning climate-resilient species, provenances, mixtures, management techniques and ecosystem services, whilst taking into account future uncertainties about climate and societal changes. We also provide a suite of cutting-edge tools to monitor vulnerability and resilience (including invasive species and above-and below- ground biodiversity), at all levels of society – from the citizen to the policy-maker. By including tailored communication to all levels of society, we will reach out to a broad audience that has the capacity to cause positive change.

Over one million barriers on Europe’s rivers have resulted in extensive loss of river connectivity and 70-90 % of Europe’s floodplain areas are ecologically degraded due to human modifications. Despite having an ambitious EU policy framework in place, implementation of fresh and transitional water ecosystem restoration is lagging behind. Reasons for this lie among others in a lack of knowledge, awareness and participation of local people and business actors. The overall aim of DANUBE4all is the development of a comprehensive Restoration Action Plan for the Danube river basin lighthouse developed in an unprecedented co-creation process with stakeholders, integrating citizens’ interests to support the Mission “Restore our ocean and waters by 2030”. Based on solid scientific knowledge and new findings, the Action Plan will promote the improvement of ecological status, biodiversity and ecosystem connectivity. The development and implementation of innovative “Win-Win Nature Based Solutions” will simultaneously lead to an enhanced free-flowing status of rivers and floodplains, flood and drought risk reduction and enhancement of sediment and biota continuity. The aim is to adapt to climate change as well as to improve the endangered biodiversity of ecosystems. This will be reached by identifying, processing and upscaling effective and economically profitable restoration measures. DANUBE4all will implement innovative demonstration activities at three sites in the Upper, Middle Danube and the Danube Delta. DANUBE4all will link ecological and economic benefits providing tailored business cases for SMEs, and will deliver innovative tools to accelerate citizens’ and stakeholders’ engagement. DANUBE4all will provide GIS and Citizen Science tools for upscaling these restoration actions via ten Synergy Sites to the Danube Basin and will also transfer the outcomes to five Associated Regions by concrete steps towards the development of Replication Roadmaps for restoration action.