Role of land use and soil modelling for policy and landscape social planning in mountainous regions

Spatial soil intelligence to co-design resilient mountain landscapes with local communities. IMPLEMENTATION CONSTRAINTS AND CO-BENEFITS Mountain areas feature steep slopes, shallow soils, and fragmented land uses, where farming, grazing, forestry, tourism, and nature conservation often overlap. For this reason, policy making and landscape planning require evidence that is both spatially explicit and socially legitimate for mountianous areas. An integrated workflow that links land-use/land-cover change analysis with digital soil mapping and soil process models to identify hotspots of erosion risk, compaction, soil organic carbon loss, and high surface runoff is proposed to test alternative management scenarios. The models are calibrated using field measurements and hydro-meteorological data, while GeoAI combined with satellite/UAV Earth observation accelerates the production of highresolution thematic maps and enables near–real time monitoring after wildfires, floods, or land abandonment. Results are co-interpreted through participatory mapping and scenario workshops with municipalities and land users, so that “trade-offs” (risk reduction, ecosystem services, costs, labour requirements, cultural values) are clearly communicated. This evidence base guides targeted nature-based solutions and agroforestry (contour hedgerows, riparian buffer zones, grazing plans) and supports agri-environmental zoning. Uncertainty is communicated through simple indicators and confidence maps to prioritize no regret interventions. The approach is compatible with open GIS platforms and can be embedded in local spatial plans and in CAP-related measures, ensuring alignment with spatial priorities, budgets, and community benefits.