R&D&I
Research, Development and Innovation Projects
We develop research projects and generate innovative solutions for the conservation of biodiversity, ecological restoration and the resilience and sustainability of infrastructures and territories. Our priority research lines are: Infrastructure and Biodiversity; Wildlife Damage and Risk Management and Prevention; and Ecological Transition and Climate Change, although we also carry out projects in other areas.
We participate in national and international competitive projects together with universities, research and technology centers, and public administrations from across Europe, generating useful and transferable knowledge for planning and management. We prioritize knowledge with high levels of technological readiness (TRL), which enables the application of modeling and analysis tools in real-world settings to improve the impact and effectiveness of our services.
Transference of ASF Oral Vaccination in Wild Boar to Mitigate the Introduction in Free-Countries
2024-2027
National public-private collaboration research project (CPP2023-010878) whose main objective is to complete the research and transfer of an oral vaccine for African swine fever (ASF), which is being developed by UCM in collaboration with GSD. ASF is a highly contagious disease that affects both domestic pigs and wild boar, causing very high mortality rates and for which no vaccine is yet available. MINUARTIA is the coordinator of the project, developed jointly with VISAVET-Complutense University of Madrid and the company Gold Standards Diagnostics.
As project coordinator, MINUARTIA leads the work packages that include the modelling of optimal vaccination strategies (assessing connectivity and wild boar movement analysis) in different landscape contexts, the development of a sociological study on stakeholders in cross-border areas between Spain and France and their acceptance of the vaccine. In addition, it will develop a decision-support system for future ASF vaccination campaigns in wild boar (once the vaccine becomes available) and a practical guide to facilitate informed decision-making and its immediate application in the event of a health emergency.
Financing: Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities / State Research Agency / Co-funded by the European Union.
Systemic Mobilisation for Joint Biodiversity and Infrastructure
2024-2027
European research project (HORIZON-JU-ER-2023-01) that brings together more than twenty organisations from 12 countries, with the main objective of accelerating the implementation of policies and tools to enhance biodiversity in railway infrastructures and power lines. The specific objectives are: to propose actions that improve the consideration of biodiversity in infrastructure policies and development; to develop practical tools that foster biodiversity integration in infrastructures while enabling data collection standardisation; and to engage key stakeholders responsible for infrastructure management and its integration with the surrounding environment.
MINUARTIA leads two tasks focused on modelling and on developing a guide for the application of Nature-Based Solutions aimed at improving the resilience of infrastructures to the effects of climate change, while at the same time delivering benefits for biodiversity. We also participate in the development of standards for biodiversity data collection, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies.
Funding: European comission – Programa Horizon Europe / Cofinancia Europe’s Rail
Website: https://symbiosis-transport.eu/
Partners: UIC-Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, FEHRL – Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, CERTH – Ethniko kentro erevnas kai technologikis anaptyxis, PGE Energetyka Kolejowa Spolka Akcyjna, MINUARTIA, ITALFERR, SLU-Sveriges Lantbruks Universitet, Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Centralesupelec, Facultad de Ciencias – Associacao para a investigacao e desenvolvimento de ciencias, Societe Nationale SNCF, Konnekt able technologies limited, HZ Unternehmensberatung AG, RPS – Ochrana dracov na slovensku zdruzenie, IFEU – Institut fur Energie- und Umweltforschung.
Preventing Animal-Vehicle Collisions. Demonstration of Best Practices targeting priority species in SE Europe
2018-2023
Participation in the European project LIFE SAFE-CROSSING (LIFE17NAT/IT/000464), aimed at implementing mitigation actions to reduce the impact of roads on large carnivores in southeastern Europe. The project is carried out in collaboration with 13 organisations from four European countries, in several Natura 2000 sites, and focuses on four priority species: the Iberian lynx in the Iberian Peninsula, the brown bear in Romania and Greece, the Apennine brown bear, and the wolf in Italy.
MINUARTIA provides advice and cross-cutting support to the project partners on aspects related to collision prevention. It analyses road sections with high collision rates, proposes measures to reduce them, explores wildlife detection technologies, and designs adaptations of wildlife crossings. Among the project’s actions, relevant examples include the application of innovative techniques to reduce animal–vehicle collisions, the monitoring and adaptation of underpasses for wildlife use, and the study of driver behaviour through neuromarketing methodologies.
Funding: European Commission – LIFE Programme.
Web del projecte: https://life.safe-crossing.eu/
Partners: AGRISTUDIO (coord), CALLISTO, Cosmote, Egnatia Odos, Fundatia Carpati, ICAS, Green Fund, Junta de Andalucía, MINUARTIA, Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Parco Nationale della Majella, Provincia di terni.
Biodiversity and Infrastructure Synergies and Opportunities for European Transport Networks
2018-2023
Participation in the international project BISON, framed within the HORIZON 2020 Programme, whose aim is to identify future research and innovation needs to make infrastructures more sustainable for biodiversity while ensuring their reliability and efficiency. The project establishes a Strategic Research and Deployment Agenda (SRDA) to strengthen the knowledge base on infrastructures and biodiversity. A total of 39 organisations take part in the project, including government representatives, research institutes, companies, and associations.
MINUARTIA leads one of the five work packages, focused on the integration of biodiversity into the current and future management of transport infrastructures. Its objective is to identify and describe good practices and new technologies, including Nature-Based Solutions, applicable to enhancing biodiversity in transport infrastructures. The project also foresees the identification of emerging trends to be addressed in the current scenario of climate change and its effects on transport-related biodiversity. The project started in January 2021 and has a duration of 30 months.
Funding: European Comission – Programa Horizon 2020
Web del projecte: https://bison-transport.eu/
Partners: Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL), Ministère de la Transition Ecologique et solidaire (MTES), Centre for Research and Technology Hellas – Hellenic Institute of Transport (CERTH/HIT), Centrum dopravniho vyzkumu, v.v.i. (CDV), Université Gustave Eiffel (UGE), Service Public de Wallonie Mobilité et Infrastructure (SPW), Union Professionnelle du Génie Ecologique (UPGE), International Union of Railways (UIC), Centre d’Études et d’expertises sur les Risques, l’Environnement, les Mobilités et l’Aménagement (CEREMA), Agristudio S.r.l , WWF Programul Dunare Carpati Romania, Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre , Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK), HI International APS, Fondation française pour la recherche sur la biodiversité (FRB), Centre de Recherches Interdisciplinaires en Droit de l’Environnement de l’Aménagement et de l’Urbanisme Equipe thématique de l’Observatoire des Mutations Institutionnelles et Juridiques Université de Limoges (UNILIM), Office Français de la Biodiversite (OFB), Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), Asociatia ZARAND, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca (USAMV – CN), Generalna Dyrekcja Drog Krajowych i Autostrad / General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKIA), Slovenska Technicka Univerzita v Bratislave, SPECTRA Centre of Excellence of EU (STUBA), MINUARTIA Estudis Ambientals SL, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Agency for Roads and Traffic (AWV), Kiel University, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU), University of Kassel (UNIKASSEL), Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN), ARMSA, Infraestruturas de Portugal S.A., Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic (MoTC SR), The Federal Roads Office (FEDRO), Netivei Israel – National Transport Infrastructure Company Ltd. (NTIC), Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA), Rijkswaterstaat – executive agency of Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands (RWS), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Egis Structures & Environnement (EGIS), The Swedish Transport Administration (TRV), Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat. Generalitat de Catalunya (DTES.GENCAT), Anas SpA (ANAS)
