E1 Development of a comprehensive communication, dissemination and awareness-raising plan.
Description
This action will serve as a guide to optimise the dissemination of the project’s objectives, actions and results at local, national and international level and to ensure that the public communication, dissemination, awareness raising and participation actions necessary for the achievement of the project’s objectives are implemented in a coordinated, complementary and cost-effective manner.
Progress achieved
Una vez finalizado el Plan de Comunicación, se celebró una rueda de prensa en la Universidad de Jaén en abril de 2016, y se lanzó oficialmente el proyecto. Este evento reunió a todos los socios y cofinanciadores del proyecto y fue cubierto por varios medios de comunicación.
De acuerdo con el Plan de Comunicación, se llevaron a cabo diferentes actividades de comunicación. En una primera fase, se preparó y difundió información sobre el proyecto, sus objetivos y los problemas a los que se dirige. A continuación, la comunicación se centró en transmitir lo que se estaba haciendo (acciones del proyecto) tanto a los interesados como al público en general.
En total, se difundieron veintisiete notas de prensa, cumpliendo los objetivos establecidos en la propuesta (seis notas de prensa anuales). Además, la página web de Olivares Vivos incluyó 78 noticias originales y 50 boletines electrónicos en formato html.
Además, se llevaron a cabo actividades de difusión a través de los diferentes canales de los socios. En este sentido, el proyecto ha sido objeto de tres artículos en la revista «Aves y Naturaleza», que SEO/BirdLife distribuye a todos sus 12.000 socios y a numerosos actores de renombre del ámbito medioambiental. En la misma línea, aparecimos en la revista Vår Fågelvärld, repartida por BirdLife Sverige, nuestro socio de BirdLife en Suecia. Se han publicado varios reportajes y boletines periódicos en la web de SEO/BirdLife -que tiene más de un millón de visitas al año-. Asimismo, se han publicado informaciones a través de los canales propios de los socios (UJA, EEZA-CSIC y DIPUJAEN).
Los socios han establecido un sistema coordinado para atender todas las solicitudes espontáneas de información relacionada con el proyecto que realizan los medios de comunicación. Además, han diseñado un protocolo de comunicación interna para favorecer la difusión.
La labor de difusión ha tenido una notable repercusión en medios de comunicación como la cadena de televisión pública regional Canal Sur. El periódico internacional The Guardian, los nacionales El País o Público y los regionales Diario Jaén o Ideal han realizado reportajes sobre Olivares Vivos. También la agencia de noticias EFE, Europa Press o Associated Press han venido a visitarnos. Otros ejemplos podrían ser la radio y televisión pública española RTVE, la radio y televisión pública italiana RAI, la cadena SER o la televisión Antena 3.
Asimismo, se llevó a cabo difusión en redes sociales (Facebook y Twitter), logrando un claro ritmo de crecimiento de interacciones y número de seguidores. Por ejemplo, si se compara enero de 2017 y enero de 2018, el número de impresiones en Twitter ha pasado de 21.200 a57.200.
Además, el proyecto ha sido presentado y debatido en la reunión de comunicadores de la Federación BirdLife Europa, integrada por todas las organizaciones socias de SEO/BirdLife en los estados miembros de la UE. Se está trabajando para abrir nuevas vías de colaboración y promover la difusión del proyecto en otros países, así como para establecer sinergias con otras iniciativas en curso
También se presentó el proyecto en ferias y encuentros sectoriales nacionales e internacionales, especialmente en Expoliva 2017 y Expoliva, 2019, Feria del Olivo de Montoro, en Montoro (Córdoba); Futuroliva, en Baeza (Jaén), feria de maquinaria agrícola de Úbeda, en Úbeda (Jaén) y OleoCarteya, en Carteya (Córdoba). Además, hemos participado en Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, en Turín (Italia), como único proyecto LIFE invitado a este evento.
En cuanto a la preparación y el diseño del material promocional, se han diseñado y producido los siguientes artículos:
– 5 banners roll-up generales sobre el proyecto
– 1 banner roll-up sobre la publicación «Buenas ‘malas’ hierbas del olivar
– 2 photocalls (4×3 m)
– 2 pancartas enrollables sobre la campaña escolar
– Camisetas
– Sombreros de Olivares Vivos
– Gorras Olivares Vivos
– Bolígrafo tipo 1
– Bolígrafo tipo 2
– Bolígrafo tipo 3
– Bolsas de algodón (dos tipos)
– Bidones de agua de fibra de bambú
– Cuadernos de notas
– Folleto «Resumen del proyecto LIFE» en español
– Folleto «Resumen del proyecto LIFE» en inglés
– «Resumen del proyecto LIFE» folleto en italiano
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción junio de 2017»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción diciembre 2017»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción junio de 2018»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción diciembre 2018»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción junio 2019»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción diciembre 2019»
– Folleto «OlivaresVivos en acción junio 2020»
– Folleto resumen del proyecto en español
– Folleto resumen del proyecto en inglés
– Folleto resumen del proyecto en francés
– Folleto de la campaña de voluntariado 1
– Folleto de la campaña de voluntariado 2
– Kit de prensa en español
– Caja de herramientas para la prensa en inglés
Status
Finalizado.
E2 Paneles informativos en los olivares piloto
Description
Installation of 16 large-format wooden outdoor information panels with key information on the project’s objectives and actions at strategic points in the pilot olive groves. The installation of the panels will be carried out in the third year, so that they reflect the evolution and achievements of the project. One panel will be installed for each demonstration olive grove (20 panels). The installed panels will also include the information to download the interactive routes designed in the framework of action E10.
Status
Finished.
An information panel has been installed in each of the demonstration olive groves and in the informative olive grove that the Project manages in Geolit.
E3 Informative and demonstrative actions and perception surveys aimed at the olive sector.
Description
A series of informative and demonstrative sessions will be organised, in which the farmers responsible for the demonstration olive groves, together with the project technicians, will present the Olivares Vivos project and tell, in first person, their experiences throughout the development process of the project. The sessions will be aimed at the olive sector, and will be structured in such a way that the participation of the audience is as active as possible, both in terms of raising questions or doubts, and in terms of obtaining their opinion on the different aspects that will be dealt with.
On the other hand, perception surveys will be carried out to evaluate the receptiveness to the change of production model that this project aims to bring about. These surveys will be carried out at the beginning (1st year) and at the end of the project (last year) in order to determine whether the implementation and dissemination of the OLIVARES VIVOS project is promoting a change in this receptiveness.
Progress achieved
This action covers two distinct activities. On the one hand, surveys aimed at measuring the perception of the project in general and of its approach and objectives by the olive sector and, on the other, informative and demonstrative actions aimed at the olive sector.
With regard to the perception surveys, companies were sought that carried out public opinion polls and had knowledge of and experience with the olive sector. The interviews were carried out in 6 of the 8 provinces of Andalusia (Jaén, Granada, Córdoba, Seville, Málaga and Almería), during 6 weeks (from 13 February to 30 March 2017), completing a total of 640 surveys in 88 municipalities in the aforementioned provinces.
The results obtained have provided information that was compared with that obtained from other surveys carried out in the final phase of the project, mainly regarding the degree of knowledge of the project in the sector. Information was also collected on the olive growers’ perception of the environmental problems of the olive grove and on their willingness to adopt changes in certain aspects of the agricultural management of their farms in different scenarios.
The results can be seen by clicking here.
On the other hand, with regard to the informative and demonstrative actions aimed at the sector, more than 400 requests have been received for advice on the adoption of measures to increase biodiversity in their olive groves beyond the project. In this regard, an informative olive grove has been created at the Geolit Technology Park facilities, where the main actions carried out in the demonstration olive groves are replicated.
Given this interest, an information day was held in February 2019, to which all interested olive growers were invited, at the Geolit Science and Technology Park, which was attended by fifty farmers, who were informed about the progress of Olivares Vivos or were able to express any doubts they had.
We have also taken advantage of the interest shown by other training programmes in the contents of Olivares Vivos. In this sense, we have held conferences with the Agroecology Classroom of the Andalusian Regional Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development. A collaboration has also been established with the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA) of the Andalusian Regional Government to include the content of LIFE Olivares Vivos in their olive growing courses. A total of nine of these courses were held in 2018 and five in 2019, in which some 350 olive growers participated.
Likewise, we have been invited and have participated in multiple conferences organised by associations such as «No solo olivos», the City Council of Cabra (Córdoba), the Protected Designation of Origin of Olive Oil Oli de Mallorca and APAEMA or ASAJA-Sevilla.
Status
Finished.
E4 Recovery and dissemination of olive tree culture in the project area
Description
This action proposes a series of actions aimed at halting the deterioration and loss of the agrarian culture of the olive grove, which underpins the traditional uses and the sustainable and multifunctional management attitudes that made the olive grove a more biodiverse environment.
The recovery and revaluation of these elements of traditional rural culture necessarily involves the recovery of the cultural memory of the olive grove. To this end, it is necessary to provide initiatives and tools that serve as a seed so that, after the end of the project, it will be the inhabitants of the olive-growing regions themselves who, through a bottom-up participatory process, will continue this process of recovery, revaluation and dissemination of their rural culture.
In order to develop this demonstrative action, four representative regions will be selected from different traditional olive-growing regions: the Sierra de Segura, in Jaén; the countryside of Jaén; the countryside of Cordoba; and the Sierra de Grazalema. This was later joined by the region of Valle de los Pedroches, in Cordoba.
Once the municipalities have been selected, the action will be structured in two phases:
In the first phase, the sources of knowledge on the culture of the olive grove related to the traditional uses of this environment will be identified.
In the second phase, the school campaign «A very close adventure» will be launched.
Progress achieved
Four counties where this action is being developed were selected. The selection criteria were aimed at optimising the demonstration and dissemination value of their results, based on (1) achieving the greatest possible representativeness of the olive-growing landscapes of the study area, (2) their proximity to the demonstration olive groves selected in action A1 and (3) the existence of previous actions or local initiatives in the municipality related to the objectives of this action.
| Olive-growing region | Locations | Demonstrative Olive Groves |
| Sierra de Segura | Arroyo del Ojanco, Torres de Albanchez, Beas de Segura, Puente de Génave, Orcera, Siles, La Puerta de Segura, Cortijos Nuevos, Santiago de la Espada, Agrupación de Mogón, Chilluévar, Hornos, Mogón y Villacarrillo. | Ardachel |
| Campiña de Jaén | Torredonjimeno, Martos, Torredelcampo, Alcaudete, Jamilena, Santiago de Calatrava, Higuera de Calatrava, La Bobadilla, Las Casillas, Noguerones, Villardompardo, Porcuna, Escañuela, Fuerte del Rey, Fuensanta de Martos, Monte Lope Álvarez y Cazalilla. | Piedras Cucas, Cañada del Duz |
| Campiña de Córdoba | Baena, Castro del Río, Albendín, Llano del Espinar, Espejo, Nueva Carteya, Luque, Zuheros, Doña Mencía, Montilla, La Rambla y Montemayor. | La Tosquilla, Casa del Duque |
| Sierra de Grazalema | Zahara de la Sierra, Puerto Serrano, Prado del Rey, Algodonales, La Muela, Olvera y Setenil de la Bodegas. | Rancho del Herrador, Peña del Gallo |
In each region, a search and compilation of information on rural culture related to the olive grove was carried out, contacting people and associations in each of these regions who provided first-hand information on traditional work, harvesting, crafts, folklore, biodiversity and other aspects related to the multifunctionality of the traditional olive grove. This information forms part of the Guide «Sources for the knowledge of culture in the traditional olive grove», and has been key to defining the contents of the didactic notebook and proposing new proposals for olive oil tourism (E8).
On the other hand, the educational booklet «Olivares Vivos, una aventura muy cercana» (Living olive groves, a very close adventure) has been produced. It consists of four chapters (history, cultivation, biodiversity and culture) and its learning is led by two characters, «Olivio», a boy who comes from the past and learnt all about the biodiversity and multifunctionality of the olive grove, and «H-Tuna», a very modern olive who dreams of being a great gourmet EVOO. Throughout the unit, both discuss the olive grove of the past and the olive grove of today, concluding at the end that the olive grove of the future will have to generate services to society and quality products with great added value. The contents have been reviewed by numerous teachers and schoolchildren and their final assessment was very satisfactory. For the development of this action, the great experience and dissemination capacity of the partner DIPUJAEN in school campaigns related to the environment was particularly important.
Once the contents were established and the didactic booklet was ready, the «Olive Grove Stories» School Campaign was launched. To this end, intensive contact work was carried out with the schools in the selected regions, informing them about the LIFE programme, the project and its objectives and the contents to be taught to schoolchildren.
In the 2017/2018 school year, 24 visits were made to schools in which 51 training sessions were given to some 1,275 schoolchildren. In 2018/2019, 26 schools in 27 localities were visited, with 64 training sessions for almost 1,500 children. In the 2019/2020 academic year, more schools have been visited and another activity has been launched, aimed at infant schoolchildren (3, 4 and 5 years old), in which a story is told about the biodiversity of the olive grove. This activity has already been carried out in two schools in the province of Jaén. In total, 46 schools in 37 locations in 4 Andalusian provinces have been visited during the school campaign.
This campaign in schools has been complemented with visits to demonstrative olive groves, where the treasure hunts designed by the project «The secrets of the olive grove» have been carried out. Over the last few years, five have taken place, with the participation of some 250 infant, primary and secondary school pupils.
Apart from the planned school campaign, the development of this action has served to introduce the educational objectives of the LIFE Olivares Vivos in other educational campaigns outside the LIFE. For example, in the III School Week of Olive Oil and its Worlds (https://goo.gl/85WbhS), developed by the partner DIPUJAEN with its own resources and in collaboration with the Andalusian Regional Government; the XIX Environment Award organised by the partner Dipujaén, which in 2018 was dedicated to the olive grove and its biodiversity, based on the LIFE Olivares Vivos; or the First Scientific School Congress on Olive and EVOO Culture (https://goo.gl/XuMvvk), an initiative promoted by the production company Tekiero Verde and organised by the Úbeda Town Council. Workshops have also been held in different municipalities such as Torredonjimeno, Villanueva de la Reina and Martos, in the province of Jaén.
In November 2017, a first training session was held with the teachers in charge of guiding the work of the students who, after participating in the training sessions, will present the results of their research in May 2018.
As part of this action, three editions of the «stories of the olive grove and olive oil» short story prize were scheduled. However, the health situation caused by the pandemic made the presentation and the contact with children and teachers, necessary to carry out this activity, very difficult.
For this reason, the prize was reformed, on the one hand by reducing the number of editions to just one, but also by changing the name of the prize to «Stay in the nest» (which was also intended to raise awareness of the need to stay at home). The competition was also open to the entire primary school community, from any school in Spain.
Over a period of several weeks, stories were received from different school levels. The best stories were published in a book and the winners received a school prize package.
Almost at the same time as the short story competition was launched, the rules for an olive grove photography award were published. Divided into five categories, any photographer could submit images of the birds, fauna, flora, landscape and traditions of olive growing. The deadline for submitting photographs was late spring 2020. We received several dozen of them. Subsequently, a jury chose the winners.
The prize of the competition was a route through Sierra Morena, to observe Iberian lynxes and other fauna of the area. It took place in the spring of 2021.
Throughout the project, resources were recorded to produce the documentary that tells the story of Olivares Vivos. In addition, other images were recorded specifically for the documentary. Among others, videos of the visits to the demonstration olive groves at different times of the year, during the restoration work or interviews with the participating farmers or the project’s technicians. It has two versions, one in Spanish and the other with English subtitles.
Status
Finished.
E5 Publication of a guide of recommendations based on the scientific results of the project.
Description
A guide will be published that compiles the most relevant results of the work carried out during the 5 years of implementation of the LIFE project, with conclusions and recommendations aimed at the managers of the agricultural policies of the different administrations.
The recommendations will be based on the results obtained in the conservation actions implemented through the specific conservation actions, the effects of these actions on biodiversity (Action D1), the profitability of olive farms (Action D2) and the economy of the study areas (Action D4). By carrying out an integrated analysis of this whole set of results, recommendations for olive orchard management for biodiversity recovery will be formulated.
The guide will also analyse how the different conservation actions recommended can be encouraged through different mechanisms and how public administrations can support them by adapting the different lines of aid and subsidies available.
Progress achieved
Olivares Vivos Guide.
Status
Finished.
E6 Dissemination and proposal for inclusion of recommendations arising from the project in the CAP 2014-2020 and in the European Agricultural Funds for Rural Development.
Description
The results of the project, and especially the recommendations contained in the guide (action E5), will be disseminated to the technical and political decision-makers of the administrations responsible for agricultural policy and rural development, as well as for environmental matters where appropriate.
Progress achieved
As BirdLife Europe has a seat in the Civil Dialogue Group «Olives» of the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development (CDG Olives), we have had the possibility to take this seat. In this way we have been attending these meetings since May 2016. At the May 2017 meeting, the LIFE Olivares Vivos project was presented to the CDG Olives, arousing the interest of various representatives of European organisations in the sector, who valued it as an important alternative for the differentiation of certain olive groves in the oil market.
A first proposal of recommendations for the CAP post-2020 was presented in May 2019 at the International Congress «The CAP Green Architecture: deepening into eco-schemes», which was attended at the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Spain, and where the paper «LIFE OV: key aspects for the design of eco-schemes in the olive grove» was presented. This Congress was attended by the Director of Natural Capital, DGMA and the Director of Strategy, Simplification and Policy Analysis of the EC Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (a report on these proposals was submitted together with this report to the EASME). The lessons learned so far have also been used to contribute our experience to the Forum «Synergies between LIFE and EAFRD rural development programmes», organised in March 2019 by the Ministry for Ecological Transition of the Spanish Government. The replication of these results is also being promoted through our participation in the development of the Ecological Connectivity Master Plan of the Junta de Andalucía and in the draft of the Order approving the regulatory bases for the support of non-productive investments for the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural areas (PDR Junta de Andalucía).
A final version -in Spanish and English- was published in 2021 (Annex E5-1.1 and Annex E5-1.2), with the final data obtained in the LIFE project (biodiversity recovery, production, cost, etc.). It was sent to different public bodies and the main conclusions were explained in a virtual presentation in June 2021. Members of DG GROW, DG SANTE, DG ENV and DG AGRI attended this presentation and asked questions about the project and the conclusions obtained.
The presentation of the objectives and approach of the LIFE project in these fora was an innovative step forward in establishing synergies with other actors in the sector by considering the direct link between the environmental externalities of olive groves (i.e. biodiversity) and their profitability. This approach has served to gain further attention.
Our networking activities with other projects (F5) and our participation in the operational groups of the Rural Development Programme have helped us to disseminate the demonstrative value of the project. LIFE Olivares Vivos has worked with farming and environmental organisations in the platform «For another CAP».
Status
Finished.
E7 Network of municipalities for Olivares Vivos
Description
It will consist of the creation and implementation of a network of municipalities working together to improve the environment in olive-growing areas, focusing their efforts on the following priority objectives:
Promotion of olive grove management systems compatible with the conservation and recovery of biodiversity.
Promotion of the cultural and social values of the rural olive grove environment.
Promoting the tourism potential of the olive grove, focusing on its cultural knowledge and biodiversity.
Facilitating the dissemination of the project results.
Facilitating the organisation of project actions in their municipalities.
For the creation of the Network, the structure of the Network of Municipalities for Sustainability (RMS) of the province of Jaén, coordinated by the Provincial Council of Jaén, will be used. Through the RMS, the project will be presented to its members and the objectives of the action will be explained in detail. The members of the RMS will be invited to join the Network of Municipalities for Living Olive Groves (REMOV). Subsequently, in a second phase, other olive-growing municipalities in the rest of the Andalusian provinces will be invited to join the Network.
Finally, a commitment document will be signed in which the municipalities commit themselves to the aforementioned objectives. The project undertakes to advise the municipalities in the event that they launch initiatives related to olive groves and biodiversity.
Progress achieved
In an initial phase, the mechanism for the creation of the Network of Municipalities for Living Olive Groves (REMOV) was established and the «Manifesto of Support for REMOV» was drawn up and sent to the 97 municipalities in the province of Jaén.
On 17 January 2017, the presentation of REMOV took place, during which the Manifestos were signed by the representatives of the municipalities interested in joining the Network. This event was widely covered by the media and was attended by a large number of local and regional government representatives. The network is currently made up of 57 municipalities in the province of Jaén.
Throughout 2017, several talks were held in some of the municipalities of the network to explain the details of the Olivares Vivos project and the importance of joining REMOV.
The contents of Olivares Vivos were also included in several workshops of its «Recrea en Verde» programme (https://goo.gl/TAo3US), one of them (called «Olivares Vivos») dealt specifically with the project, although LIFE contents were also taught in other workshops such as «Our oil and its nature», «Biodiversity and birds of prey» or «Beekeeping». These workshops are aimed at any sector of the population that requests them.
The «Draw your living olive grove» competition has been organised for both 2018 and 2019, aimed at all primary schoolchildren in the 57 municipalities of REMOV.
A plaque has also been designed so that the different town councils can show that they form part of the Network of Municipalities for the Living Olive Groves, which was presented to them during the REMOV commemorative day. A day in which more than 60 mayors and councillors took part, in which different issues related to the added value of olive oil were addressed and in which the Network was opened to other Andalusian provinces, with the adhesion of Baza (Granada), Cabra (Córdoba) and Cuevas del Becerro (Málaga).
In addition to all this, there was the short story competition «#QuédateEnElNido: the stories of the countryside and the olive grove» which took place throughout the spring of 2020 and in which schoolchildren from all over Spain took part. A prize was awarded and the Diputación de Jaén has been commissioned to print a volume with the winning stories.
Status
Finished.
E8 Getting to know the culture of the olive grove. Experiential tourism in Olivares Vivos
Description
The aim of this action is to provide the opportunity to get to know the culture of the olive grove at first hand.
It will consist of a demonstrative experience that will be organised jointly with rural accommodation in the olive-growing areas. It will be organised during the third, fourth and fifth year of the project, each year in a different area of the Andalusian olive grove, always in the vicinity of one of the pilot farms participating in the project.
In each of these years, during the busiest season in the olive groves, the olive harvesting period, a programme of activities for tourists will be drawn up. The collaborating accommodations will include these activities in their accommodation offer. Several different accommodations will work with the aim of achieving the participation of 10 tourists for each edition. The programme of activities will include participation in some of the traditional olive harvesting activities, learning about the olive growing cycle and the olive oil production process, and experiencing some of the traditions surrounding this activity.
Progress achieved
This action began with previous meetings between the coordinator and project technicians (DIPUJAEN and SEO) and the heads of tourism of the partner DIPUJAEN, the Diputación de Jaén being precisely the administration with the greatest knowledge and experience in olive oil tourism through its Oleotur programme. After these first meetings, other meetings took place with the participation of project technicians, tour operators, technicians of the Tourism Department of the Provincial Council, among them, the person in charge of the «Oleotur» programme. The most relevant conclusions of this preliminary work pointed out, on the one hand, that the biodiversity of the olive grove was not present in any tourist package so far and that it could represent a very important asset to promote olive oil tourism.
Following this line of work, work is being carried out on the design of a tourist package called «Olivares Vivos» (Living Olive Groves), of which a first brochure has been published and which was to be tested in one of the demonstration olive groves at the beginning of 2019, but which had to be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Different trials of novel natural heritage experiences were prepared to make these tourism packages attractive. In the first one, the activity «The oil of the stars» was evaluated, in collaboration with the company «Astroandalus», which combines a hedonistic tasting of top quality oils, the night-time atmosphere of the olive grove and astronomical observation. The event took place in a demonstration olive grove and was attended by project technicians and volunteers, who valued the experience very highly.
Status
Finished.
E9 Dissemination of project results at scientific congresses and publications and at technical seminars.
Description
The first step in disseminating the results will be to present them at some of the main scientific conferences and technical seminars on related topics. For example, specific congresses such as the International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Forestry (ICSAEF) or general ecology congresses where related topics are represented, such as the International Association for Ecology (INTECOL) which, for example, included in 2013 the sessions «Applying ecological science to increase agricultural yield and sustainability» and «Biodiversity, ecosystem services and multifunctional landscapes», or the annual congress of the British Ecological Society, which in 2012 included sessions dedicated to «Insect pollination: land use, disease, pesticides and ecosystem services» and «Balancing food security and environmental concenrs: chagenlles of sustainable intensification on land and sea». Preliminary results obtained mainly from actions A2 and D1 would be presented at such conferences.
Once final results from these actions have been obtained, the aim will be to publish them in scientific journals. The planning of the studies described in these actions responds to sampling designs that meet the necessary requirements for a scientific analysis of the data obtained. Furthermore, the type of questions that these actions aim to answer are highly topical in the field of research in Agriculture and the Environment.
Progress achieved
The following contributions have been made:
Tarifa, R., Martínez Núñez, C; Valera, F; González-Varo, J. P.; Salido, T.; Rey, P.J. (2021). Agricultural intensification erodes taxonomic and functional diversity in Mediterranean olive groves by filtering out rare species. Journal of Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13970
Mario Díaz, Elena D Concepción, Manuel B Morales, Juan Carlos Alonso, Francisco M Azcárate, Ignacio Bartomeus, Gérard Bota, Lluis Brotons, Daniel García, David Giralt, José Eugenio Gutiérrez, José Vicente López-Bao, Santiago Mañosa, Rubén Milla, Marcos Miñarro, Alberto Navarro, Pedro P Olea, Carlos Palacín, Begoña Peco, Pedro J Rey, Javier Seoane, Susana Suárez-Seoane, Christian Schöb, Rocío Tarjuelo, Juan Traba, Francisco Valera, Elena Velado-Alonso. 2021. Environmental Objective s of Spanish Agriculture: Scientific Guidelines for their Effective Implementation under the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2030. Ardeola, 68, 445-460.
Martínez‐Núñez, C., Rey, P.J. (2021). Hybrid networks reveal contrasting effects of agricultural intensification on antagonistic and mutualistic motifs. Functional Ecology, 35,1341–1352.
Martínez-Núñez, C., Rey, P. J., Salido, T., Manzaneda, A. J., Camacho, F. M., & Isla, J. (2021). Ant community potential for pest control in olive groves: Management and landscape effects. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 305, 107185.
Martínez-Núñez, C., Rey, P. J., Manzaneda, A. J., Tarifa, R., Salido, T., Isla, J., … & Molina, J. L. (2020). Direct and indirect effects of agricultural practices, landscape complexity and climate on insectivorous birds, pest abundance and damage in olive groves. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 304, 107145.
Martínez-Núñez, C., Manzaneda, A. J., & Rey, P. J. (2020). Plant-solitary bee networks have stable cores but variable peripheries under differing agricultural management: Bioindicator nodes unveiled. Ecological Indicators, 115, 106422.
Martínez‐Núñez, C., Manzaneda, A. J., Isla, J., Tarifa, R., Calvo, G., Molina, J. L., … & Rey, P. J. (2020). Low‐intensity management benefits solitary bees in olive groves. Journal of Applied Ecology, 57(1), 111-120.
Martínez‐Núñez, C., Manzaneda, A. J., Lendínez, S., Pérez, A. J., Ruiz‐Valenzuela, L., & Rey, P. J. (2019). Interacting effects of landscape and management on plant–solitary bee networks in olive orchards. Functional Ecology, 33(12), 2316-2326.
Rey, P. J., Manzaneda, A. J., Valera, F., Alcantara, J. M., Tarifa, R., Isla, J., … & Ruiz, C. (2019). Landscape-moderated biodiversity effects of ground herb cover in olive groves: Implications for regional biodiversity conservation. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 277, 61-73.
Bajo revisión:
C Martínez-Núñez, PJ Rey (2020) Assessing the predation function via quantitative and qualitative interaction components BioRxiv 1
C Martínez-Núñez, PJ Rey, AJ Manzaneda, D García, R Tarifa, JL Molina, … Landscape drivers and effectiveness of pest control by insectivorous birds in a landscape-dominant woody crop BioRxiv. Currently in second revision in Basic and Applied Ecology
Vicente García-Navas, Carlos Martínez-Núñez, Rubén Tarifa, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Francisco Valera, Teresa Salido, Francisco M. Camacho, Jorge Isla & Pedro J. Rey. Agricultural extensification enhances functional diversity but not phylogenetic diversity in Mediterranean olive groves: a case study with ant and bird communities. Currently submitted to Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment.
Vicente García-Navas, Carlos Martínez-Núñez, Rubén Tarifa, José L. Molina-Pardo, Francisco Valera, Teresa Salido, Francisco M. Camacho & Pedro J. Rey. Partitioning beta diversity to untangle mechanisms underlying the assembly of bird communities in Mediterranean olive groves. Currently submitted to Diversity and Distributions.
Pedro J. Rey, Rubén Tarifa, Francisco M. Camacho, , Teresa Salido, Antonio J. Pérez, Daniel García, Carlos Martínez-Núñez. Effect of habitat fragmentation and intensive agriculture on avian frugivore abundance, frugivory levels and seed arrival in olive-dominated landscapes. Currently submitted to Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
Presentaciones orales, pósters y conferencias
Francisco Valera, Pedro J. Rey, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Julio M. Alcántara, Jose L. Molina-Pardo, Rubén Tarifa, Jorge Isla, Teresa Salido, Gemma Calvo, Carlos Martínez-Núñez, Carlos Ruiz, José E. Gutiérrez (2020). Biodiversity in Andalusian olive orchards: assessing the effect of agricultural management and landscape simplification. Pages 76, 79 in Gabriel del Barrio y Roberto Lázaro, eds. EcoDesert. Geoecology and Desertification- from physical to human factors. Proceedings of the International Symposium in memory of Prof Juan Puigdefábregas. ISBN: 978-84-09-12447-3.
Carlos Ruiz, Eva Murgado, José Eugenio Gutiérrez, Pedro J. Rey, Francisco Valera, Sonia Bermúdez. (2019). Olivares Vivos. La biodiversidad como valor añadido en agricultura. Desde Los servicios ecosistémicos a la diferenciación comercial. Pags. 397 a 400 en: La sostenibilidad Agro-territorial desde la Europa Atlántica. Actas del XII Congreso de la Asociación de Economía Agraria. ISBN: 978-84-09-12764-1. Asociación Española de Economía Agraria.
José E. Gutiérrez, Pedro J. Rey, Carlos Ruiz, Francisco Valera, Eva Murgado, Sonia Bermúdez, María Cano Parra, Jesús Pinilla-Infiesta, Carlos Molina-Angulo (2017). LIFE Olivares Vivos. Incrementar la rentabilidad del olivar recuperando su biodiversidad. Primeros resultados. Comunicaciones Científicas. Simposium Expoliva 2017. ISBN. 978-84-946839-1-6.
PJ Rey, F Valera, AJ Manzaneda, JM Alcántara, JL Molina, R Tarifa, J Isla, … (2017). Evaluando la biodiversidad de flora y fauna en los paisajes de olivar de Andalucía. Comunicaciones Científicas Simposium Expoliva 2017. ISBN 978-84-946839-1-6.
Oral presentation: “LIFE Olivares Vivos. Increasing profitability of the olive grove by restoring biodiversity. Preliminary results” [in Spanish]. Simposium Expoliva 2017. Jaén, 12 May 2017
“Assessing flora and fauna biodiversity of the olive landscapes of Andalousia” [in Spanish]. Scientific presentations at Expoliva Scientific and Technical Symposium 2017. Jaén, 10- 12 May 2017. Pedro J. Rey, Francisco Valera, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Julio M. Alcántara, José L. Molina, Rubén Tarifa, Jorge Isla, Teresa Salido, Carlos Ruiz and José E.Gutiérrez.
Poster: “LIFE Olivares Vivos: bringing biodiversity back to olive groves”. LIFE Platform meeting on ecosystem services “Costing the Earth? – translating the ecosystem services concept into practical decision making”. Tallin Estonia, 10-12 May 2017.
Oral presentation: “Olive Alive: Toward the design and certification of biodiversity friendly olive groves”. Climate Changing Agriculture International Conference. Chania, Crete (Greece), 29 August – 2 September 2017. José E. Gutiérrez, Carlos Ruiz, María Cano, Pedro J. Rey, Eva M. Murgado, Francisco Valera and Sonia Bermúdez.
Oral presentation: “Assessing biodiversity and its ecosystem services in Andalusian olive orchards through the landscape moderation hypothesis approach”. Climate Changing Agriculture International Conference. Chania, Crete (Greece), 29 August – 2 September 2017. Pedro J. Rey, Francisco Valera, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Julio M. Alcántara, José L. Molina-Pardo, Rubén Tarifa, Jorge Isla, Teresa Salido, Gemma Calvo, Carlos Martínez- Núñez, Carlos Ruiz y José E. Gutiérrez.
Poster: “LIFE Olivares Vivos. An innovative strategy for the restoration of biodiversity in the olive grove through the improvement of profitability” [in Spanish]. 23rd Spanish Ornithological Conference. Badajoz, 2 – 5 November 2017. José E. Gutiérrez, Carlos Ruiz, Pedro J. Rey, Francisco Valera, Eva M. Murgado and Sonia Bermúdez.
Oral presentation “Exploring the hypothesis of landscape moderation of biodiversity patterns and processes in stable tree crops: the case of Andalusian olive groves” [in Spanish]. 23rd Spanish Ornithological Conference. Badajoz, 2 – 5 November 2017. Pedro J. Rey, Rubén Tarifa, José L. Molina, Francisco Valera, Teresa Salido, Jorge Isla and José E. Gutiérrez.
Oral presentation: “Ants as biological indicators in Andalusian olive groves: a test of the hypothesis of landscape moderation of biodiversity patterns in stable tree crops” [in Spanish]. 33rd Scientific Days of the Spanish Entomological Association. Almería, 14-17 November 2017. Teresa Salido, Jorge Isla, Antonio J. Manzaneda, José Luis Molina-Pardo, Gemma Calvo, Rubén Tarifa, Francisco Camacho, Julio M. Alcántara, Francisco Valera and Pedro J. Rey.
Rey, P.J., Gutiérrez, J.E., Ruiz, C., Valera, F., Galiano, S., Martin, F. 2018. LIFE-project OLIVE-ALIVE: designing an olive cultivation to recover biodiversity and profitability. I Iberian Meeting on Agroecological Research – Establishing the ecological basis for sustainable agriculture, Évora (Portugal). 22-23 November 2018.
Camacho, F.M., Tarifa, R., Valera, F., Molina-Pardo, J.L., Ruiz, C., Rey, P.J. 2019. Paisaje y prácticas agroambientales en olivar: importancia para la gestión de especies de aves amenazadas, cinegéticas y migradoras. Congreso VII Ibérico y XXIV español de Ornitología. Cádiz (Spain), 13-17 noviembre 2019.
Tarifa, R., Camacho, F.M., Valera, F., Molina-Pardo, J.L., Gutiérrez, J.E., Rey, P.J. 2019. ¿Es el contraste ecológico generado por las prácticas agroambientales clave para la conservación de las aves agrarias? Congreso VII Ibérico y XXIV español de Ornitología. Cádiz (Spain), 13-17 noviembre 2019.
Jose Eugenio Gutiérrez. El Proyecto LIFE Olivares Vivos. En “La arquitectura verde de la PAC post 2020. Profundizando en ecoesquemas” 29, 30 y 31 de mayo de 2019. Zafra. Badajoz
Carlos Ruiz. EL proyecto LIFE Olivares Vivos. Experiencias de revitalización del medio rural. CONAMA Local Toledo 2019. Campo y Ciudad, Agenda Global.
Comunicaciones orales y pósters aceptados, pero no presentados aún
Oral presentation Ecología versus biodiversidad. Buscando un término nuclear para las campañas de comunicación medioambientales. Murgado Armenteros, Eva María; Valdelomar Muñoz, Sergio; Torres Ruiz, Francisco José (Accepted). XXXII Congreso Internacional de Marketing. Jaén 2020
Oral presentation La biodiversidad como atributo para diferenciar los AOVES en el mercado: valores y creencias de los consumidores. Valdelomar-Muñoz, Sergio., Murgado-Armenteros, Eva María., Torres-Ruiz, Francisco José (Accepted). XX Simposio científico-técnico de Expoliva 2021.Eva 1 y 2
Oral presentation abstract: Ruben Tarifa, Juan P. González-Varo, FranciscoM. Camacho, Antonio J. Pérez, Teresa Salido, Pedro J. Rey (2021). Avian seed dispersal in olive groves: An ecosystem service at risk by landscape homogenization. XV Congreso Nacional de la AEET, 18- 22 octubre 2021
Poster abstract: Domingo Cano, Carlos Martínez-Núñez, Antonio J. Pérez, Teresa Salido, Pedro J. Rey (2021). Las áreas seminaturales son reservorios resistentes para el mantenimiento de polinizadores silvestres en paisajes de olivar. XV Congreso Nacional de la AEET, 18-22 octubre 2021
Organización de eventos científicos y técnicos
Organisation of the Scientific Workshop on the Profitability of the Olive Plantations. April 2016. University of Jaén.
Organisation of the Scientific seminar “Assessment, conservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by fauna in Iberian tree-based agrosystems. Experiences from the Andalusian olive grove and the Asturian apple orchards”. University of Jaén, 19 September 2017. Oral presentations “Effects of the landscape complexity gradients and farming practices on animal biodiversity and its ecosystem services on the olive grove agrosystem of Andalusia” [in Spanish]. Pedro J. Rey, and “Olivares Vivos. Methodology and preliminary results” [in Spanish]. Carlos Ruiz. Participation at the roundtable on the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services onthe production models of tree crops.
Scientific seminar within the framework Action D1 and action F5 (Networking with other LIFE conservation and olive-grove related projects) and with the collaboration of AGRABIES project (National R&D&I Plan, Challenges Call 2015). “Assessment, conservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by fauna in Iberian tree-based agrosystems. Experiences from the Andalusian olive grove and the Asturian apple orchards”. Representatives of the organisations in charge of both AGRABIES and Olivares Vivos. University of Jaén. September 2017.
Presentación de los resultados de seguimiento de biodiversidad. Jardín Botánico de Madrid. 9 de octubre de 2018
Seminario práctico sobre evaluación y conservación de biodiversidad de quirópteros en olivar: efectos de la intensificación agrícola. Universidad de Jaén. Julio de 2019.
I Jornadas “Conectando agricultura y biodiversidad: una perspectiva desde los cultivos leñosos a través del LIFE Olivares Vivos”. Jornadas online. 27 y 28 de mayo de 2021.
Jornada “Estrategias para la comercialización del aceite de oliva Olivares Vivos”. Universidad de Jaén, 14 de mayo de 2019.
Divulgación
Gutiérrez, J.E., Ruiz, C., Galiano, S., Carretero, A., Rey, P.J., Valera, F., Murgado, E.M., y Bermúdez, S. (2021) LIFE Olivares Vivos. Olivares reconciliados con la vida. Quercus 425. Suplemento.
Martínez-Núñez, C., Rey, P.J., Ruiz, C., Gutiérrez, J.E. (2020). La pérdida de biodiversidad en los olivares intensivos. Quercus, 410, 32-32.
Martínez-Núñez, C., Manzaneda, A. J., & Rey, P. J. (2019). Revisando el uso de nidales artificiales para insectos en estudios de redes de interacción en agroecosistemas: enseñanzas derivadas de su aplicación en olivar. Ecosistemas, 28(3), 3-12.
Valera, F., Rey, P.J., Gutiérrez, J.E., Ruíz, C., Galiano, S. (2019). Conservar los olivares, un esfuerzo rentable. The Conversation, España 2019/5/21.
PJ Rey, JE Gutiérrez, F Valera, C Ruiz (2017). El olivar andaluz, ¿un bosque humanizado? Aldaba 41, 113-120.
Francisco Valera-Hernández, Rey-Zamora Pedro J, Ruiz Carlos, Gutiérrez-Ureña J. Eugenio (2018). Olivares Vivos: diseño y certificación de olivares preservadores de biodiversidad. Pags. 87-93 en: Investigación hecha en Almería. CIENCIAjazz-Tertulias sobre ciencia en Clasijazz. Universidad de Almería
Participación en eventos divulgativos
Conference: “Olivares Vivos: Towards the design and certification of biodiversity friendly olive groves” [in Spanish]. III International Bird Fair of Doñana. 22-24 April 2016. Sevilla.
Conference: “LIFE Olivares Vivos: Technical and Scientific aspects of the diagnosis and restoration of biodiversity in olive plantations” [in Spanish]. Futuroliva. 2-4 June 2016. Baeza (Jaén).
Science café: “Green infrastructure for citizens: increasing biodiversity in our immediate environment” [in Spanish]. Science Week. Experimental Station of Arid Zones, Almería, November 2017.
Conference: “Olive plantations, biodiversity and landscape: towards a new environmentally sustainable olive growing model” [in Spanish]. III Technical sessions of the Cooperative Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. 4-5 November 2016. Peal de Becerro (Jaén).
Roundtable: “Challenges and opportunities of the mountain olive orchards” [in Spanish]. II Days “Mundo Rural”. Rural Mediterránea Association. 7-9 July 2016. Puente Génave (Jaén).
Lecture: “LIFE Olivares Vivos for the restoration of biodiversity in olive groves of Andalusia” [in Spanish], and participation in the roundtable “Fostering biodiversity and profitability in olive groves” [in Spanish]. Session on biodiversity in the olive grove, Peñallana Visitor Centre, Andújar, 12 February 2017.
Lecture: “Olivares Vivos: fostering biodiversity and improving profitability of the olive grove” [in Spanish], at the workshop on best practice in Corporate Social Responsibility “Giving life to Natura 2000 Network”. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 19 May 2017.
Roundtable: “Organic olive farming (+). An environmental, social and health value” [in Spanish]. Biosegura 2017, 21 June 2017.
Lecture: “The LIFE Olivares Vivos project: improving profitability by restoring biodiversity” [in Spanish]. 13th Scientific Marathon of the Experimental Station of Arid Zones. 6 October 2017. Almería.
Lecture: “Olivares Vivos” [in Spanish]. “Oil and its nature” course. Villacarrillo, 11 October 2017.
Lecture: “Olivares Vivos” [in Spanish]. Traditional Mountain Olive Grove Days. SCA San Francisco. Villanueva del Arzobispo, Jaén, 17 October 2017.
Lecture: “Olivares Vivos” [in Spanish]. CienciaJazz, science talks at Clasijazz. Almería, 9 Novembre 2017.
Workshop: “Restore the fauna in your town and revive the olive grove” [in Spanish]. Science Week. Experimental Station of Arid Zones, Almería, November 2017.
Science café: “Green infrastructure for citizens: increasing biodiversity in our immediate environment” [in Spanish]. Science Week. Experimental Station of Arid Zones, Almería, November 2017.
Lecture: “Olivares Vivos: Una estrategia para la restauración y conservación de la biodiversidad en agrosistemas”. En el Máster Universitario en Conservación de la Biodiversidad y Restauración del Medio Marino y Terrestre . Universidad de Alicante. 21 de enero de 2019
Lecture “Olivares Vivos: conectando la rentabilidad y la recuperación de la biodiversidad en los olivares”. VI Jornadas de Conservación de la Biodiversidad. Universidad de Salamanca. 1, 2, y 3 de marzo de 2019.
Lecture: “La avifauna del olivar andaluz: situación actual, tendencias y recuperación a través del Proyecto LIFE Olivares Vivos”. XI Jornadas Ornitológicas de la Universidad Complutense. Madrid. 26 de marzo de 2019.
In September 2018, within the framework of this action and also of action F5 (Networking with other LIFE and olive grove conservation projects), and in collaboration with the AGRABIES project (National R&D&I Plan project, 2015 Challenges call), a seminar was organised entitled «Evaluation, conservation and recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by fauna in Iberian arboreal agrosystems. Experiences from the Andalusian olive grove and the Asturian pomaradas» The seminar was attended by representatives of the different entities responsible for both the AGRABIES project and Olivares Vivos, as well as experts from other initiatives, and ended with a round table with the participation of experts in the different sectors involved: Administration, agricultural and environmental research and development entities, producers and entities participating in the projects that convened the seminar.
Also in conjunction with action F5, at the end of August and beginning of September 2017, a project team travelled to Crete to attend the Climate Changing Agriculture International Conference and to visit and learn about various conservation projects related to olive groves. In the course of this conference, two oral communications were presented (already referred to in the previous list) and one of the scientific sessions of the conference, focused on environmental certification, was moderated.
Status
Finished.
E10 Interactive route design using e-applications
Description
Interpretative routes will be designed in the project’s demonstration olive groves. The routes will visit elements of naturalistic and ethnographic interest, illustrative examples of the project’s actions and places representative of outstanding aspects of olive grove culture. The routes will be of low technical and physical demand.
Once the routes have been decided, they will be geo-referenced using GPS and the interpretative contents will be designed. These will consist of short explanatory texts combined with other somewhat more extensive texts, which will be recorded so that a sound file with the content of the text will be available at a later date. In addition, for those points along the route where it is necessary to point out elements of the landscape, photographs will be taken and edited to include the location of the points of interest.
Subsequently, through external assistance, an application will be developed for mobile phones, incorporating all these elements.
Progress achieved
Nine routes can be navigated and downloaded via a mobile-friendly website without the need to download and install a specific application. The page offers a menu with access to the routes, the real-time display of a map showing the user’s position, the route and the different points of interest along the route. By clicking on the points of interest, the information is displayed as a text and the option is given to listen to a narration of the text, as an audio-guide (www.rutasolivaresvivos.com ).
For the first three routes designed, the demonstration olive groves of Virgen de los Milagros and Cortijo Guadiana, both in Jaén, and Finca La Torre, in Málaga, were selected. These olive groves were selected not only for their natural and scenic values, but also for their proximity to places of tourist interest such as Jaén (Virgen de los Milagros), Úbeda and Baeza (Virgen de los Milagros and Cortijo Guadiana) and Antequera, Málaga (Finca la Torre).
Subsequently, the routes through Ardachel (Siles, Jaén), El Tobazo (Alcaudete, Jaén), El Puerto (Pegalajar, Jaén), Casa del Duque (Espejo, Córdoba), Gascón (Marchena, Seville) and La Tosquilla (Nueva Carteya, Córdoba) were added.
Status
Finished.
E11 Project website
Description
This action includes the design, development and implementation of a multimedia web platform based on content management systems subject to EUPL license (free software) to disseminate information and encourage participation and networking among the groups interested in the project. The website offers updated information on the project, dynamic informative content in Spanish and English, the possibility of carrying out online procedures and downloading information in text, audio and video format; spaces for communication and collaborative work.
Progress achieved
The website is available and offers general information on the project and the problems it addresses, as well as providing details on the latest news and informative and dynamic web articles, such as «Seen in the olive grove», which shows examples of the biodiversity found in the farms participating in the project. Olive growers interested in taking part in the project also have a space reserved for them with a form they can fill in so that we can get in touch with them.
Status
Finished.
E12 Publication of the Olivares Vivos Guide
Description
The Olivares vivos guide will be a guide aimed at the olive sector. It will explain what the Olivares vivos certification is, the advantages of obtaining the certification and the commitments required from the farmer.
The procedures for applying for certification will be detailed and each of the necessary steps will be explained in different sections:
Pre-sampling. The need for sampling of biodiversity indicators will be justified in order to establish the pre-operational status of the farm to be certified and the need for this sampling to be carried out by the certifying body (Olivares Vivos Stewardship Body), in order to guarantee its independence and objectivity.
Drawing up action plans. An explanation will be given of what an action plan is and what objectives these plans should pursue. The different recommended actions will be described, the effects achieved with each of them and the best way to implement them depending on the different types of olive grove. The conditions for the content and format of the action plan will be established, so that both the farmer and the independent consultants are clear about what type of document they should present. The process of analysis and approval of the action plan will be described.
Implementation phase of the action plan. The process of reviewing the work described in the action plan will be described.
Sampling of results. The timing of the next sampling of biodiversity indicators shall be described.
Traceability analysis. It shall be described how the traceability of the products produced by the farm shall be ensured, so that the origin of the certified product can be guaranteed.
Progress achieved
Through all the information obtained throughout the project, a guide has been designed and published with the aim of responding to the main concerns expressed by olive growers, in relation to biodiversity, the LIFE Olivares Vivos project and the certification process. For this reason, the guide is divided into different sections, as some of the farmers only want to know about biodiversity, ecosystem services and how to recover them. But others also want to certify their production and take advantage of biodiversity by recovering the added value.
In the first part of the guide, the farmer can find the reason why it has been written and published. But probably the most important part of this section is the definitions of some terms. It explains what biodiversity is, why it is important to protect or recover it and what are the main problems of the traditional olive grove. It also explains what added value is.
The second section of the guide deals with biodiversity in the olive grove, focusing on this crop. It describes how much fauna and flora has been found in the demonstration olive groves during the studies carried out by Olivares Vivos. In addition, the farmer can find out what determines whether there is more or less biodiversity in the olive grove.
The third section is one of the most important, because it describes the eco-scheme proposed in this new model of olive growing. Thus, by reading it, farmers can understand what they have to do, in order to recover biodiversity in their plots. In the first part, they can find out how they have to manage the herbaceous cover, why it is important to maintain it (to reduce some ecological problems, such as erosion) or what they can do to improve it. The second step in restoring biodiversity is the revegetation of unproductive areas, such as riverbanks, streams or roadsides. In this part of the guide, you can understand which plant to use (according to your soil, bioclimatic zone or ombroclimate). In addition, the guide gives some tips on how to improve the monitoring of plants. Finally, the third part of this section is about helping to increase wildlife shelter. Thus, with a few steps and many photos, it explains how and where to install nest boxes or bat boxes or how to build water ponds.
The fourth section tells how to turn biodiversity into profitability. It explains the different current certifications and how they can help to improve the profitability of the grove, through added value. But it also explains how to get the Olivares Vivos certification or an approximation of its cost.
Finally, the last part of the guide deals with how to take advantage of the recovery of biodiversity and Olivares Vivos certified oils. This section explains the differences between consumers in four European countries when buying olive oil. In addition, the farmer can find very brief summaries on how to develop online promotion strategies to achieve their sales objectives.
This guide concludes with an Annex, where the different plants and seeds that the LIFE Olivares Vivos project has used to recover biodiversity can be found. They are divided into different categories (trees, shrubs, seeds, etc.) and where they should be planted (roads, rivers, streams, etc.). They are also classified according to their bioclimatic region, their ombroclimate or the type of soil where the plant grows.
The guide is written and published in Spanish and English and can be found in the resources sections of the Olivares Vivos website.
Status
Finished.
E13 Promotion of the Olivares Vivos brand
Description
The achievement of a large part of the objectives and the demonstrative value of the project depends on both the oil market and the general public being aware of the project and the added value of oils certified as Olivares Vivos. Therefore, apart from the dissemination of the project through the website (E11) and the demonstrative and communication actions aimed at the olive sector (E3), an action is needed to define and implement the best strategies, techniques and applications to successfully promote Olivares Vivos oils on the market and increase their demand. This action will support and complement action C7 and will contribute conclusively to ensure the profitability of the oils produced in the pilot olive groves and the demonstrative value of the project.
This action is complementary to action E1 (Development of the general communication plan). While E1 is focused on the general dissemination of the project, the coordination of the actions E for the promotion of the olive grove culture and the promotion of the demonstrative experience in the olive growing sector, this action is focused on the promotion of the products produced under the Olivares vivos guarantee brand as a necessary tool to ensure its commercial success and, therefore, the profitability of the olive grove management that preserves and recovers biodiversity.
Progress achieved
Prior work was carried out to search for documentation and previous work related to the objectives of this action (biodiversity, consumer behaviour and communication), which made it possible to develop the state of the question and design the empirical study on consumer behaviour and marketing of Olivares Vivos oils that has been explained in Action C7. The report on the key aspects of consumer behaviour of olive oil consumers involved with biodiversity will be key to define the promotion strategy for EVOOs produced under the Olivares Vivos guarantee brand.
On the other hand, the seminar/workshop with experts and researchers on the environment and olive groves that was held in the first half of 2017, also provided an opportunity to learn about experiences and exchange ideas on the communication strategy carried out by agri-food companies that try to differentiate their product with strategies based on environmental externalities.
Within the framework of the multi-country studies, experimental research was carried out with the aim of evaluating the impact of the Olivares Vivos guarantee brand and its valuation by consumers. To this end, two possible logos were tested: the Olivares Vivos project logo (OV1) and the winning logo in the Ideas Competition organised for the graphic design of the Olivares Vivos guarantee brand (OV2).
The «Communication Manual for the promotion of OV EVOO» was produced, and promotional materials were designed and produced. Furthermore, working sessions on marketing were held with exporters and managers of EVOO points of sale. Simultaneously, the procedure for contracting external assistance to support the development of this action was carried out.
In May 2019, within the framework of the Expoliva Fair, the image of the Olivares Vivos guarantee brand was presented. A logo designed by CabelloxMure that represents an owl, one of the most characteristic birds of this agricultural environment.
In the same month, the seminar «Strategies for the commercialisation of Olivares Vivos olive oil» was also held, in which some of the olive growers participating in the project, as well as professionals from the sector, took part and discussed strategies to improve the sales of EVOO certified by Olivares Vivos in the future.
At the end of 2019, the participating bottled olive oils began to bear the «Olivares Vivos» seal identifying them as participants in the project. This, with the aim of measuring the impact of the seal on the consumer. Thus, two types of stickers were made, to adapt it to the needs of each of the brands, and a hang tag, in four languages (Spanish, English, French and German).
The oils identified as participating in Olivares Vivos were shown, for example, at the XXIV Spanish and VII Iberian Ornithology Congress, but the brand and the EVOOs were to be presented and shown at different national and international fairs, which was suspended due to the situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June 2020, the presentation of the Olivares Vivos seal and the participating oils took place in the Aula Magna of the University of Jaén. The event was attended by all the project partners, as well as the participating olive growers. The event served as the launch of the advertising campaign, mainly on social networks, which has been carried out since then, to publicise the seal and EVOOs, by a specialised company.
To publicise the seal and differentiate it in the market from other existing seals, a communication plan was designed for the Olivares Vivos EVOO. This plan defined the communication objectives, the target audience, the message and the communication actions to be carried out.
The communication actions carried out included the creation of the Olivares Vivos EVOO website, the production of promotional spots and mini-videos of the demonstration olive groves, the insertion of advertising and reports in specialised magazines, the generation of content and advertising actions on social networks, and the promotion of EVOO through digital marketing campaigns.
Due to the health emergency caused by COVID-19, digital marketing and social media actions have been particularly relevant. Thus, intense digital communication activity has been carried out on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, from September 2020 to May 2021. The content generated for the social networks has been very diverse (general pieces promoting the Olivares Vivos seal, ‘D’ days related to the environment and biodiversity, promotion of each of the brands, testimonials from olive growers participating in the project, mini-videos of the demonstration olive groves, pieces on the animal and plant species existing in each olive grove, pieces to raise consumer awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity and the environment, etc.).
Among the most important communication actions, the communication campaign with influencers that was carried out in the last stage of the project stands out. The main objective of this campaign was to improve the notoriety of the Olivares Vivos brand on social networks (mainly Instagram) by carrying out communication actions with influencers. All the influencers collaborated altruistically with this initiative, which resulted in an estimated saving of 28,000 euros. In total, 20 influencers participated, divided into two categories: macro-influencers with a minimum number of followers of 40,000 and micro-influencers, with a number of followers between 2,000 and 25,000, but with very positive engagement rates.
Both received: a pack of Olivares Vivos EVOO with the Olivares Vivos seal and label, packaged in kraft paper, hemp rope and shavings for the filling, following a natural and sustainable design; a leaflet with key information about Olivares Vivos to share with their followers; and a personalised, handwritten thank you card.
The influencers carried out a promotional action for Olivares Vivos on their networks, which consisted, for the most part, of stories that lasted 24 hours. In addition, in some specific cases, a video was published in the Feed (Instagram) or on TikTok.
In addition to these collaborations, a good number of the influencers (a total of 12, 6 macroinfluencers and 6 microinfluencers) agreed to be interviewed to find out their perception of the project and the communication strategy used. Among the conclusions obtained, it is worth highlighting, on the one hand, the very positive assessment of the project, as well as the design, the brand image and the packaging used. On the other hand, they also suggest the need to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity to preserve the environment and the health of the planet, due to the lack of knowledge that they detect among their followers. In this sense, they suggest using visual content, with images that show the effects of biodiversity loss and the benefits of its preservation.
Status
Finished.
