Open voting awards
Open voting for climate action awards
We firmly believe in the power of collective engagement to drive positive and transformative change. This is why we would like your help choosing which project should win the recognition and become “Best European ecosystem restoration project” of this year’s edition.
In this case, we have pre-selected 3 exciting ecosystem restoration projects in Portugal, France and Belgium each with a beautiful story behind them. These projects aren't just about planting trees and calling it a day. They're about families & communities coming together and the willingness to make real and impactful change.
Winner of the open-voting awards
We are glad to announce that the Food Forest in Zoersel is the winner chosen by the public and the jury as the “Best European ecosystem restoration project”.
Congratulations on the award!
You can check the 3 pre-selected projects here:
An eco-village in the south of Portugal
An exciting project that is building an eco-village in the region of Alentejo, in the south of Portugal.
Life Terra has collaborated for three years with the project, and we have planted more than 20,000 trees of more than 80 different species to help boost biodiversity on the farm. Most of these are fruit trees for the farm’s food forest.
Holistic restoration projects stand as inspiration for a sustainable lifestyle and symbiotic coexistence with nature, and we certainly believe that Gandum Village is a living example! Learn more here:
Restoring a clearcut damaged area in Lèntilleres, France
In the heart of Haute Valette, France, a landscape once destroyed by illegal clearcutting now stands as a testament to resilience and restoration. With the support of Supermarket E.Leclerc Aubenas and ASES, we've transformed this empty land into a thriving ecosystem.
Through meticulous planning and dedication, we've planted 1,000+ new trees and shrubs, each carefully selected to contribute to the land's recovery. These plantings serve as more than just greenery; they're a lifeline for the soil, anchoring it against erosion and enhancing water retention. Learn more here:
A new Food Forest for Antwerp
Geert & Goele had a dream to one day leave their busy jobs and become sustainable farmers. They are both concerned with the environmental impact of conventional agricultre and had studied and visited several food forests for inspiration. Together with Commensalist and donors over 30 different tree species were planted to create a biodiverse and fruitful food forest. Despite the muddy and rainy circumstances, the volunteers helped made a tremendous contribution to such a beautiful project!
A food forest is a type of agroforestry system that mimics the structure and function of a natural forest ecosystem, but with a focus on producing food. It typically consists of multiple layers of plants, such as trees, shrubs, herbs, and ground cover, that work together to create a self-sustaining and productive environment. Learn more here:
Evaluation of the open awards
All 3 projects will be evaluated following the same criteria: 50% of the voting will come from the public's vote and 50% from the professional jury's vote.
The general public will be able to vote through the above link promoted on our social media and website. The project with the highest score will be the winner of the public's vote. The vote is open until the 19th of July.
The jury will evaluate the projects following 5 criteria: innovation, technical feasibility, environmental impact, social & community engagement and scalability. The evaluation is a 1 to 5 rating for each criteria, 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest. The project with the highest score will be the winner of the jury's voting part.
Jury of the Climate Action Awards 2023-2024
The jury of this year's edition is formed by (from left to right):
Hans Friederich - Nature and Sustainability Expert
Teresa Sauras - Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Climate Action at University of Barcelona
Jordi Cortina - Professor of Ecology at the University of Alicante
Pius Floris - Tree & Soil Health Consultant
