Three pilot sites have been selected for an initial implementation phase. The objective is to deploy, in connection with the site’s scientific questions and local teams, as many sensors developed within the TERRA FORMA project as possible, along with the communication and data transfer infrastructure.
These deployments will allow for testing and improving the robustness of the tools and services developed through TERRA FORMA. Particular attention will also be paid to the involvement of local stakeholders, to ensure they can also take ownership of these tools.
Lautaret
The LTSER Lautaret-Oisans platform, located in the French Alps, offers key infrastructure and expertise for the long-term monitoring of mountain socio-ecosystems and the Critical Zone. It is involved in several national and European research networks (OZCAR, RZA, eLTER PLUS, AnaEE, ICOS) and is situated in a unique natural environment ranging from 1000 to 4000 meters in elevation, encompassing glaciers, grasslands, and forests.
The platform is already equipped with a dense network of environmental sensors and maintains strong partnerships with local stakeholders (national park, municipalities, farmers, etc.). It is managed by the UAR Jardin du Lautaret, which also operates a botanical garden that attracts many visitors each year.
It was selected as a WP5 pilot site for the TERRA FORMA project due to the specific technical challenges of its mountainous terrain, its existing instrumentation, its key role in research, and its strong potential to connect science and society.
Guidel
The Ploemeur-Guidel CZ Observatory in Brittany, France, is part of the H+ and OZCAR research networks. Its main objective is to study surface-subsurface interactions, groundwater vulnerability to climate and human pressures, and biogeochemical reactivity. It aims to develop innovative methods for imaging underground structures and flows, and to validate modeling approaches with long-term, high-resolution data. The site includes three contrasting sub-sites : a natural system (Guidel), a human-impacted site (Ploemeur), and an experimental test area.
The observatory offers several strengths for research projects : a unique fractured aquifer system supplying high-quality water sustainably ; a dense monitoring network (50+ wells, flux tower, deformation sensors) ; contrasting natural and anthropogenic settings ; and a well-instrumented field station with internet access. It provides exceptional data for studying water quality, storage, and ecosystem impacts in a climate-sensitive coastal environment.
Auradé
The Auradé Experimental Catchment (AEC) is a long-term ecological research (LTER) site in southwestern France, designed to study the impact of climate change and agricultural practices on soil erosion, biogeochemical cycles, water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. It is also instrumented to monitor agricultural contaminants (nitrates, pesticides, trace metals) and their effects on soils and aquatic ecosystems. AEC is part of the national OZCAR research infrastructure and the European eLTER network, and hosts a RENOIR station for isotopic analysis of rainfall, as well as an ICOS ecosystem flux tower.
AEC is ideally suited for the project due to its dense environmental monitoring, long-term datasets (over 35 years of hydrological and nitrate monitoring), and strong partnerships with local farmers. The site’s agricultural landscape reflects typical rural catchments, and the long-standing collaboration with stakeholders enables the testing of sustainable farming practices. Support from key research institutions (ECOLAB, CESBIO) ensures robust scientific capacity and infrastructure.
