Bancal Roig: Mediterranean agroforestry and ecosystem service lab

Bancal Roig - Bioregional Living Lab-

Is a Mediterranean agroforestry and ecosystem stewardship project located in Vall de Laguar, Alicante, Spain.

Rather than restoring a degraded landscape, our work focuses on unlocking the ecological, productive, and social value of an under-managed territory shaped by traditional mountain terraces, olive groves, and Mediterranean forest.

The region faces two interconnected challenges: increasing biomass accumulation in forested areas that raises wildfire risk, and the abandonment of mountain agriculture that is difficult to mechanize and economically sustain.

Our approach combines agroforestry diversification, biochar production, biodiversity enhancement, ecological monitoring, and community stewardship to transform these challenges into opportunities for resilience.

By integrating productive tree crops, native species, ecological services, and local knowledge, we aim to demonstrate how Mediterranean landscapes can simultaneously support food security, wildfire prevention, water management, biodiversity recovery, rural livelihoods, and long-term ecosystem health.

To date, the project has already achieved:

• More than 50 trees and shrubs planted.

• More than 50 cultivated, native, and wild species managed within the site.

• Over 3,000 m² of forest biomass reduction and fuel-load management.

• More than 3,000 liters of biochar produced and applied to the land.

• Rainwater harvesting and management systems handling approximately 20,000 liters annually.

• Two tiny houses, solar energy systems, community kitchen, dry toilet, and water reuse infrastructure supporting regenerative living and stewardship activities.

• More than 20 people attracted to settle in the village through project-related activities and regenerative initiatives.

Funding will support the next phase of development, including ecological monitoring sensors, biochar infrastructure, agroforestry diversification, ecosystem service measurement, biodiversity enhancement, and stewardship operations that strengthen the long-term resilience of Mediterranean mountain landscapes.

Bancal Roig also serves as the first operational prototype of RegenHub Earth, a regenerative living lab exploring how land stewardship, community infrastructure, ecological monitoring, and knowledge-sharing can support the emergence of resilient bioregional networks.