Synthesis action ESP escuela de verano

Escuela de Verano ESP 2026: Modelización de Servicios Ecosistemáticos e Indicadores de Biodiversidad

Overview

The ESP Summer School 2026 is a five-day training and synthesis activity hosted by CREAF at the UAB Bellaterra Campus in collaboration with the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) and international partners. The action responds to the need for stronger capacity in ecosystem-service modelling, biodiversity indicators and spatial analysis at a time when climate change, land-use change and biodiversity loss are reshaping Mediterranean and European landscapes. It is aligned with the ECO-RESILIENCE 360º themes by linking nature-based solutions, ecosystem risks and adaptation strategies through data-driven, reproducible workflows.

The programme combines morning theory sessions with afternoon practical work. The week is organised around four thematic blocks: opening and framing, carbon and climate regulation, biodiversity and habitat quality, and cultural services and recreation. Practical sessions will use geospatial and modelling approaches, including ARCGIS, InVEST, matrix-based habitat quality assessment, AIRES-ESTIMAP and biodiversity indicators, with exercises developed at the European scale. The course concludes with a field excursion to Montserrat and a final reflection on the links between spatial models, real landscapes and decision-making.

Objectives

The overall aim of the summer school is to train early-career researchers in the integration of ecosystem-service modelling, biodiversity indicators and spatial analysis for conservation, adaptation and decision-making in multifunctional landscapes.

The specific objectives are:

Train participants in open and reproducible workflows for ecosystem-service modelling and biodiversity assessment;
Combine ecological, social and economic perspectives on socio-ecological systems, with emphasis on Mediterranean and European landscapes;
Apply spatial models to key ecosystem-service themes, including carbon storage and climate regulation, habitat quality, biodiversity indicators and recreation potential;
Strengthen an interdisciplinary network between CREAF researchers, ESP, international partners and early-career scientists;
Produce reusable educational materials, shared datasets and dissemination outputs that support policy-relevant applications of ecosystem-service models and biodiversity indicators.

Schedule

Tuesday 1st September

Opening and framing - Sala de Graus II / Aula Informática PC 1-C

10:00-10:15 : Opening session / ESP Summer School overview (Felipe S. Campos)
10:15-10:45 : Ecosystem services, montes dynamics and biodiversity indicators (Javier Retana)
10:45-11:15 : Fundamentales of ecosystem services science applied to SE modelling (Luis Inostroza)
11:15-11:30 : Discusión and Q&A (Felipe S. Campos)
11:30-12:00 : Coffee break
12:00-12:30 : The European Framework para adaptación a global change (Annelies Broekman; Maria Vives-Ingla; Mireia Banqué)
12:30-13:00 : Mapping ecosystem services with Earth Observation (Miguel Villoslada (TBC) / Solen le Clec'h)
13:00-13:15 : Discusión and Q&A (Felipe S. Campos)
13:15-14:15 : Lunch break
14:15-15:30 : 3-Minute Project Pitch: participantes' self-introduction, slot 1 (Vince van 't Hoff)
15:30-16:00 : Coffee break
16:00-16:30 : 3-Minute Project Pitch: participantes' self-introduction, slot 2 (Vince van 't Hoff)
16:30-17:00 : Group formation and stakeholder roles (Luiz Filho; João David)
17:00-17:30 : Coaching and feedback from students in parallel sessions (All speakers)
17:30 : Closing session (Felipe S. Campos)

Wednesday 2nd September

Carbon and climate regulation - Sala de Graus II / Aula Informática PC 1-C

10:00-10:15 : Day overview and recap (Luiz Filho)
10:15-10:45 : Ecosystem Services Platform: tools, data and innovation (Burcu Berk)
10:45-11:15 : Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience (Carlotta Quagliolo)
11:15-11:45 : Coffee break
11:45-12:45 : Geospatial modeling para climatización adaptación y ecosystem servicios (Pedro Cabral)
12:45-13:00 : Discusión and Q&A (Luiz Filho)
13:00-14:15 : Lunch break
14:15-15:30 : Practical session 1 - Carbon / InVEST: preparación de carbon inputs y aplicación de InVEST Carbon Storage and Sequestration modelo (Pedro Cabral; Felipe S. Campos; João David)
15:30-16:00 : Coffee break
16:30-17:00 : Mapping carbon patterns en la EU escala y discusión de resultados (Pedro Cabral; Felipe S. Campos; João David)
17:00-17:30 : Coaching and feedback from students in parallel sessions (All speakers)
17:30 : Group synthesis, closing session and daily reflection (Felipe S. Campos)

Thursday 3rd September

Biodiversity and habitat quality - Sala de Graus II / Aula Informática PC 1-C

10:00-10:15: Day overview and recap (Vince van 't Hoff)
10:15-10:45: Habitat quality, landscape change and biodiversity persistence (Lisieux Fuzessy)
10:45-11:15: Biodiversity indicators: from spatial data to decision-making (Felipe S. Campos)
11:15-11:30: Discussion and Q&A (Vince van 't Hoff or Carlotta Quagliolo)
11:30-12:00: Coffee break
12:00-12:45: Landscape dynamics, ecosystem services and public policies (Solen le Clec'h)
12:45-13:00: Discusión and Q&A (Vince van 't Hoff or Carlotta Quagliolo)
13:00-14:15: Lunch break
14:15-15:30: Practical session 3 - Habitat quality / matrix-based: definición de resultados en el sistema económico y integración de pressure layers (Solen le Clec'h)
15:30-16:00: Coffee break
16:30-17:00: Mapping habitado calidad en la escala EU y discusión de biodiversidad indicadores (Solen le Clec'h; Felipe S. Campos; João David)
17:00: Group synthesis, closing session and daily reflection (Vince van 't Hoff)
20:30: Social dinner - venue TBC

Friday 4th September

Cultural services and recreation - Sala de Graus II / Aula Informática PC 1-C

10:00-10:15 : Day overview and recap (Carlotta Quagliolo)
10:15-10:45 : Socioeconomic perspectivas on ecosystem services (Peter Roebeling)
10:45-11:15 : Urban ecosystem services for landscape ecology (João David)
11:15-11:30 : Discussion and Q&A (Carlotta Quagliolo)
11:30-12:00 : Coffee break
12:00-13:00 : Ecosystem extent mapping in global monitoring context (Alessio Bulckaen)
13:00-13:15 : Discussion and Q&A (Carlotta Quagliolo)
13:15-14:15 : Lunch break
14:15-15:30 : Practical session 4 - Recreation model / AIRES-ESTIMAP: proxy-based approaches y mapping recreation potential (Alessio Bulckaen)
15:30-16:00 : Coffee break
16:30-17:00 : Group synthesis: comparing approaches, trade-offs, limitaciones y policía relevancia (Solen le Clec'h; Alessio Bulckaen)
17:00-17:30 : Coaching and feedback from students in parallel sessions (All speakers)
17:30 : Closing session and course wrap-up (Organising team)

Saturday 5th September

Field excursion - Parque Natural de la Montaña de Montserrat

10:00: Meeting point and departure from UAB (Felipe S. Campos)
11:00: Field reflection: Mediterranean landscapes, biodiversity and ecosystem services (Lídia Quevedo)
13:00: Field exercise: observación de landscape estructura y ecosystem-service perceptions (Luiz Filho)
14:00: Social lunch in Montserrat - venue TBC
17:00 : Return to UAB, approximate time (Organising team)

Organising commitee & speakers

The summer school is planned for approximately 35 selected early-career researchers, mainly PhD students and post-doctoral researchers, together with invited speakers, facilitators and CREAF mentors. The final list of participants will be added once registration is closed and attendance is confirmed.