Vitiflorestation for climate resilience in Mediterranean vineyards

Vitiflorestation integrates trees into Mediterranean vineyards to enhance climate resilience, improve soil health, and reduce water stress. Species like olive and oak moderate microclimates, conserve moisture, and support biodiversity, enabling natural pest control. Optimized layouts such as 'Zebra' enhance tree-vine interactions, while root systems increase water retention, reducing irrigation needs. This practice supports EU sustainability goals, potentially sequestering carbon equivalent to 11 million airplanes annually across 30 million hectares. Challenges include knowledge gaps, financial barriers, and regulatory hurdles. EU initiatives like VINEAIS and MEDCLIV offer tools and models for scaling adoption, while subsidies, training, and digital tools are vital for addressing labour shortages. Certification and blockchain traceability may increase market demand for sustainably produced wines. Research gaps remain in tree species efficacy for pest control and water use efficiency. Collaboration between viticulturists and forest specialists ensures best practices. Historical examples, such as 14th-century 'Tacuina sanitatis' illustrations, show trees’ long-standing role in vineyard systems. Spanish cooperatives like Raim + 500 demonstrate fire-risk reduction through vitiflorestation-inspired methods. With 1.5% of U.S. farms using agroforestry, the Mediterranean is poised to lead in climate adaptation through innovation, policy support, and knowledge exchange.