SOS Praderas is a transnational project promoting the sustainable management of mesophilic hay meadows across the SUDOE territory of southwestern Europe. Supported through the Interreg SUDOE cooperation programme, it brings together public and research partners, including the University of Oviedo, to address the environmental and socioeconomic challenges facing these traditional landscapes.

Hay meadows are species-rich agroecosystems shaped by centuries of human management and recognised as priority European habitats. They are declining as land use changes, through both intensified management and abandonment, as well as urban development near settlements. SOS Praderas works to improve the effectiveness of resource use while protecting biodiversity and supporting the continued viability of meadow management.

The project’s activities include diagnosing meadow conditions, developing conservation approaches, encouraging cooperation and building capacity. Its work also covers meadow plant collections, production and processing. Through research, outreach, events and the sharing of project results, SOS Praderas seeks to modernise traditional practices in ways that help reconcile economic viability with nature conservation.