Climate change, desertification and recurrent droughts pose severe threats to Mediterranean forest ecosystems, limiting post-planting survival and long-term stand productivity. Under the TERRASAFE.PT project, innovative management solutions are being deployed to improve forest resilience and promote tree establishment in the semi-arid, desertification-prone region of Castelo Branco, Portugal.

Field trials were installed in two contrasting forest systems: a Pinus pinaster (pine) plantation and a Quercus suber (cork oak) grove. Within each system, the efficacy of two soil-conditioning solutions, biochar and agrobiogel, is evaluated against tree performance. The experimental layout consists of plots containing 90 trees each, divided equally into three distinct cohorts: 30 trees treated with biochar, 30 with agrobiogel, and 30 untreated controls.

Forest monitoring is conducted monthly during the initial six months post-planting, shifting to quarterly assessments in the following years. Key monitored parameters include plant vegetative growth, mortality rates, and soil moisture dynamics within the root zone.

Preliminary laboratory assays indicated that these integrated soil treatments significantly boost water retention capacity.

This suggests a high potential to mitigate summer drought stress in young forest stands. The ongoing field monitoring will deliver critical data on tree physiological performance under real-world environmental pressures, providing a scalable model for climate-smart forest restoration and sustainable silviculture.