From 3 to 6 November 2025, experts, researchers, students as well as practitioners and decision makers from across Europe and beyond gathered at the ETC-UMA premises in Málaga, Spain, for the RESTORE4Cs Autumn School 2025: “Modelling, Policy and Practice for Restored and Resilient Coastlines.” Organized by LifeWatch ERIC within the framework of the RESTORE4Cs project and co-funded by the European Union, the event created a vibrant platform for the scientific community, practitioners and decision makers to exchange ideas on the use of science-based knowledge to guide wetland restoration and support Europe’s goals for climate neutrality and biodiversity recovery.
The four-day programme opened with an in-depth scientific training focusing on the ecological importance of coastal wetlands, their vulnerability and need for restoration actions. Through showcasing past restoration efforts, participants explored both the achievements and challenges of restoring these vital habitats, which – when healthy and functional – play a key role in regulating greenhouse gas emissions, protecting coastlines and supporting biodiversity. Contributions from related EU projects and networks such as ALFAWetlands, WET HORIZONS, and the Society of Wetland Scientists – European Chapter helped illustrate the value of connecting scientific research, citizen engagement and policy design to foster more resilient wetland ecosystems across Europe.
In the second half of the Autumn School, discussions moved towards the interface between science, practice, and policy, highlighting how data-driven tools and modelling frameworks can enable more effective, evidence-based decision making and action. Participants got first-hand insights about measurement and analysis of Green-House Gas emissions from coastal wetlands both in the Restore4Cs Pilot cases as well as from examples of the REWET project and the Limnology Group of the University of Málaga. Furthermore, RESTORE4Cs Interactive Platform was presented as an innovative resource that bridges science and governance through integrated data management, spatial analysis and modelling. Sessions explored the implementation roadmap and its alignment with EU and national policy targets, and how the achievement of these targets can be mapped using spatial indicators. Furthermore, the methodologies about the use of Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) to promote transparency and inclusiveness, and the assessment of social acceptance and financing mechanisms to ensure long-term restoration success were discussed with the participants. These exchanges underlined the critical role of using spatial data in the identification of degraded or historically lost wetlands to shape targeted, sustainable restoration strategies.
The Autumn School concluded with a field visit to the Parque del Guadalhorce, a restored peri-urban coastal wetland, where participants could see first-hand how scientific insights translate into real-world management and policy applications. The visit showcased restoration measures implemented in the area so far and provided insights on the urgent need to broaden restoration actions across the watershed upstream using results from the Interreg Euro-MED co-funded Wetland4Change project. This visit also demonstrated the relationship between wetland ecology, carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, offering a practical perspective on ecosystem-based climate action.
By connecting scientists, policy makers and restoration practitioners, the RESTORE4Cs Autumn School 2025 has built a shared understanding of how coastal wetland restoration can deliver tangible benefits for climate, biodiversity and society. Through collaborative learning and open dialogue, the event helped lay the foundations for a growing European community of practice dedicated to advancing restoration science and policy integration, paving the way for more resilient, inclusive and sustainable coastal ecosystems.
