eLTER Restoration Topic Centre workshop

From 5 to 7 March 2025, an international workshop was held in Kerekegyháza, lead by our research group. Among the organizers and participants were researchers from HUN-REN CER and from institutions from around Europe, involved in eLTER field work and eLTER research infrastructure national coordination. The workshop aimed at designing the eLTER International Restoration Topic Centre, which could support the success and scientific soundness of nature restoration in Hungary and Europe, building on and complementing the Europe-wide eLTER long-term ecological data series.

The planned Restoration Topic Centre, which would be linked to eLTER's core services at several points, can provide field data-supported answers to the questions of, and respond adequately to the information and knowledge sharing needs arising from, the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. The Topic Centre could act as an advisory body, providing the necessary technical and theoretical background for the implementation of the obligations of the Regulation, and support the success of the interventions through providing guidance based on analysing trends in eLTER restoration data series and on restoration expert knowledge.

The eLTER research infrastructure is currently undergoing a major organisational structural development, with the ultimate aim of recognising the network as a legal entity - a European Research Infrastructure with a defined set of functions and services. These transformations could provide an opportunity to integrate the concept of the Restoration Topic Centre into the new structure, for which the development of the necessary conceptual elements has been initiated by the workshop participants.

Workshop participants planned the potential structure and operation of the Topic Centre, its main functions and the financial and human resources required to fulfil them. Once the plans have been clarified, the concept will be presented at the next eLTER Interim Council meeting.