OpenLAND

Open evaluation of climate-resilient interventions for land management, soil health and net zero
Farmer checking soil quality for crops
Title: OpenLAND: Open evaluation of climate-resilient interventions for land management, soil health and net zero
Funding: UKRI
Duration: August 2024–August 2027
University of Plymouth staff: Professor Will Blake ; Dr Claire Kelly ; Dr Jennifer Rowntree
 
 
 
OpenLAND aims to provide decision makers with the insights needed to put the UK on a path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, while also delivering climate resilient soil health, food security, and biodiversity net gain.
The project will identify spatially explicit land use interventions that balance climate mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity goals.
It builds on the OpenCLIM modelling framework, adding capability to evaluate net-zero pathways across various habitats, and addresses gaps in empirical data on soil carbon storage and health through ground-truthing, robotic monitoring, and microbiome data.
The findings will help to develop tailored interventions that minimise trade-offs and maximise synergies for a climate-resilient, net-zero landscape.

Maximising climate resilience through land policies

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the interactions and feedbacks across landscapes that regulate carbon storage, biodiversity, soil health and agriculture will be critical in determining effective land use decisions – decisions which must incorporate soil systems into integrated, spatially explicit assessments. This project aims to co-create such a system for the UK, analysing above- and below-ground natural capital assets to show how the UK agri-food system can be transformed to deliver net zero and biodiversity net gain while maintaining food security and rural livelihoods, and minimising exposure to climate risk.
The research builds on earlier work, including the OpenCLIM and Wallace Initiative projects, as well as work carried out by University of Plymouth's ELMS Exchange Hub, and aims to deliver integrated solutions for land-based climate adaptation and resilience.
BLAKE image Riverford Medusa RTU2
Field trials will directly measure the impact of interventions on soil health.

The OpenLAND project aims to:

  • Create a validated, UK-wide, spatially explicit integrated modelling framework – OpenCLIM-LANDS – to evaluate net-zero pathways
  • Upscale soil carbon and soil health empirical data to calibrate the OpenCLIM-LANDS framework at UK level


  • Explore the synergies and trade-offs associated with alternative land use interventions
  • Engage with farming groups and academics to develop win-win net-zero solutions
Medusa gamma sensor Photo by Eva McGrath
A portable gamma ray sensor allows for quick soil health assessment.

An integrated approach to soil analysis

Within the wider programme, University of Plymouth work packages focus on interdisciplinary (natural science, social science and farmer-led) soil assessment approaches, including state-of-the-art soil sensor technology (gamma spectrometry), autonomous robot deployment platforms and innovative soil microbiology technologies to provide high spatial resolution soil evaluations. These are integrated with participatory tools to draw out farmer and land manager perspectives on the applicability, relevance and economic viability of the proposed microbiological and sensor technology, to inform the management of soil carbon for policy actions in the UK.

Expected outcomes

Throughout the course of the OpenLAND project, we will liaise with stakeholders at workshops, discussion groups and in the field, create project database and user-facing decision support tools, and provide opportunities for governments, agencies and NGOs to work with farming groups and academics to develop effective net-zero solutions.
The project will culminate in the identification of new, spatially explicit, intervention scenarios for land use interventions exploiting synergies and minimising trade-offs. This will allow data relating to soil carbon and long-term carbon storage potential to feed into the OpenCLIM-LANDS framework, providing real-world evaluation of below-ground carbon.
 
 

Developing the basis for healthy soils

Through the Centre of Research excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS) and our ELMS Knowledge Exchange Hub, we are exploring the validation of on-farm soil assessment and land management actions.
Much of our work is carried out in situ – on working farms or in collaboration with community and industry partners.
Professor Will Blake