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Forest residues include branches, tops, and the material remaining following utilization operations. They play a fundamental role in our ecosystems by influencing the presence and abundance of micro- and macronutrients, reducing erosion, and increasing the level of both plant and animal biodiversity. The Italian regulatory framework for forest management, composed of a constellation of rules from different institutional levels, places the regulation for the management of forest residues in the forest under the competence of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, and this results in a very articulated picture of the situation on the ground. We analyzed the regulations of local authorities regarding the management of forest prescriptions and rules to provide a general overview throughout the country. Seven categories of interest (size, quantity, placement, burning, timing, prohibitions, and waivers) were identified. Results show that in four Italian regions (i.e., Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Molise and Valle d’Aosta) there is no indication referring to forest residue management. For the remaining Regions and Provinces the situation is fairly homogeneous in terms of the presence of regulations for the categories of placement, burning, timing and prohibitions. In contrast, for the categories of size and waivers, there is little or almost no regulation and for the category of quantity, regulation is fully lacking.

Ecologically and economically sustainable planning of forest resources requires tools capable of providing estimates with adequate accuracy on volume, biomass and woody increments. Interest in these attributes has increased since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been given a further boost by the birth of the carbon credit market in the early 2000s. However, the data collection necessary to formulate allometric models for estimating wood volume is challenging, both due to the considerable amount of data required and because the necessary destructive measurements are very laborious. Furthermore, given the great structural, managerial and environmental diversity that characterizes the Italian forests, the sample size for the development of allometric models must necessarily be large. Over the years, all these aspects have led to a progressive abandonment of measurements in the forests for the production of volume tables. Recent applications of the terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) for collecting dimensional information on trees have demonstrated their effectiveness. In this study we present the work carried out in the autumn/winter 2022-2023 for the creation of new volume tables for the black pine forests in Vallombrosa (FI - Central Italy), based on data collected with a TLS. The study involved the same pine forests studied in 1969 for the production of volume tables in Vallombrosa. After showing the methods and analysis needed to obtain the volume tables, the paper discusses the results in comparison with those produced in 1969.

Ecologically and economically sustainable planning of forest resources requires tools capable of providing estimates with adequate accuracy on volume, biomass and woody increments. Interest in these attributes has increased since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been given a further boost by the birth of the carbon credit market in the early 2000s. However, the data collection necessary to formulate allometric models for estimating wood volume is challenging, both due to the considerable amount of data required and because the necessary destructive measurements are very laborious. Furthermore, given the great structural, managerial and environmental diversity that characterizes the Italian forests, the sample size for the development of allometric models must necessarily be large. Over the years, all these aspects have led to a progressive abandonment of measurements in the forests for the production of volume tables. Recent applications of the terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) for collecting dimensional information on trees have demonstrated their effectiveness. In this study we present the work carried out in the autumn/winter 2022-2023 for the creation of new volume tables for the black pine forests in Vallombrosa (FI -- Central Italy), based on data collected with a TLS. The study involved the same pine forests studied in 1969 for the production of volume tables in Vallombrosa. After showing the methods and analysis needed to obtain the volume tables, the paper discusses the results in comparison with those produced in 1969. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-fire natural regeneration of Aleppo pine forest in the Gargano promontory (Southern Italy) is documented by means of photographs taken soon after fire and some years later. The potential of pine for adaptation to climate change and fire disturbance through its phenotypic plasticity is highlighted, and future dynamics of Aleppo pine forests and management perspectives are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old-growth forests have a primary environmental and ecological value, as they closely recall primeval forests and the natural forest landscape that was spread throughout Italy and Europe before man intervention heavily altered the functioning of most natural ecosystems. These ecosystems are more and more recognized as keystones of environmental policies (i.e., the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030) aimed to preserve biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change. A recent report highlights that Europe's old-growth forests account for only 3 percent of the overall forest surface. The majority of italian old-growth forests are located along the Apennines, especially in the Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte National Parks, in remote montane areas characterized by irregular topographical conditions (i.e., high slopes and/or shallow soils) which hamper the access and exploitation of these less productive stands, thus allowing the survival of old-growth forests for many centuries. The ongoing climate change is a significant challenge to the conservation of old-growth forests, particularly in areas such as the Mediterranean basin, where an intensification of extreme climate events is expected. Heat waves can exacerbate drought's negative impacts on tree growth and survival, leading to reduced woody carbon stocks and biodiversity in old-growth forests. To date, there is poor understanding of such highly valuable and extremely fragile natural ecosystems in Italy. Insights are available based on data gathered as part of two research programs, funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Land and Sea Protection, with the purpose of creating a Network of Old Growth Forests in Italy's National Parks. In this study, we aimed to highlight the role and importance of old-growth forests, focusing on those located within the Pollino National Park. A comprehensive overview of the key strengths and weaknesses, that mark these peculiar forest ecosystems, was followed by a discussion of the future outlook, grounded on strategies that will ensure not only the protection and conservation of these ecosystems, but also their development and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-fire natural regeneration of Aleppo pine forest in the Gargano promontory (Southern Italy) is documented by means of photographs taken soon after fire and some years later. The potential of pine for adaptation to climate change and fire disturbance through its phenotypic plasticity is highlighted, and future dynamics of Aleppo pine forests and management perspectives are considered.

Copyright of Scienze del Territorio is the property of Firenze University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Old-growth forests have a primary environmental and ecological value, as they closely recall primeval forests and the natural forest landscape that was spread throughout Italy and Europe before man intervention heavily altered the functioning of most natural ecosystems. These ecosystems are more and more recognized as keystones of environmental policies (i.e., the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030) aimed to preserve biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change. A recent report highlights that Europe’s old-growth forests account for only 3 percent of the overall forest surface. The majority of italian old-growth forests are located along the Apennines, especially in the Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte National Parks, in remote montane areas characterized by irregular topographical conditions (i.e., high slopes and/or shallow soils) which hamper the access and exploitation of these less productive stands, thus allowing the survival of old-growth forests for many centuries. The ongoing climate change is a significant challenge to the conservation of old-growth forests, particularly in areas such as the Mediterranean basin, where an intensification of extreme climate events is expected. Heat waves can exacerbate drought’s negative impacts on tree growth and survival, leading to reduced woody carbon stocks and biodiversity in old-growth forests. To date, there is poor understanding of such highly valuable and extremely fragile natural ecosystems in Italy. Insights are available based on data gathered as part of two research programs, funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Land and Sea Protection, with the purpose of creating a Network of Old Growth Forests in Italy’s National Parks. In this study, we aimed to highlight the role and importance of old-growth forests, focusing on those located within the Pollino National Park. A comprehensive overview of the key strengths and weaknesses, that mark these peculiar forest ecosystems, was followed by a discussion of the future outlook, grounded on strategies that will ensure not only the protection and conservation of these ecosystems, but also their development and promotion.

Closer-to-Nature Forest Management is a new concept proposed both in the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and in the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030. Closer-to-Nature Forest Management aims to improve the conservation values and climate resilience of multifunctional, managed forests in Europe. We present the concept based on a set of seven guiding principles and discuss main problems and opportunities of its application at continental scale and in Italy.

Closer-to-Nature Forest Management is a new concept proposed both in the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and in the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030. Closerto-Nature Forest Management aims to improve the conservation values and climate resilience of multifunctional, managed forests in Europe. We present the concept based on a set of seven guiding principles and discuss main problems and opportunities of its application at continental scale and in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giovanni Bernetti passed away on 21 December 2022. For several decades he taught forest mensuration, forest management and silviculture at the University of Firenze. Remembering him as a master, with whom I shared an entire professional life arouses emotions that are not easy to communicate. Giovanni Bernetti is to be considered among the great masters of Italian forest sciences. As a keen interpreter of forest dynamics and management, he disseminated his deep knowledge in several books and seminal papers of high scientific and professional influence as well. Thank you so much indeed, Prof. Bernetti, for your great cultural and scientific legacy.

Objectives The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether the disbursement of funds at the disposal of the State Forests National Forest Holding corresponded to the tasks in the field of forest management imposed on the institution in question under the provisions of applicable law and whether it was justifiable in the context of the principle of rational management of public funds. Material and methods The research was based on the analysis of the secondary data collected by the Directorate General of the State Forests, official statistical data, post-audit information of the Supreme Audit Office and literature covering the research area. Results The results of research carried out on the basis of data from 2011-2018 showed that the general property and financial situation of the State Forests in the analysed period was favourable due to the fact that each year the aforementioned institution recorded a significant net profit. Conclusions The activities implemented by the State Forests were in principle compatible with a model of sustainable forest management specified in the Forest Act, however in case of incurring investment outlays of fixed assets not directly related to forest management, the principle of rational management of public funds was not always fully applied. Therefore, the conscious economic calculation should constitute the basis for conducting investment activities by the State Forests.

Forests represent the largest green infrastructure worldwide, and their protection and enhancement are a responsibility of the whole Society, being a common good, linked to history and culture. The future of our planet depends on how we perceive, protect and manage this heritage. Forests are saved if they are at the center of society’s interest. Cultural awareness of the intrinsic value of forests is needed. We must recognize a new dimension of the forest, the cultural dimension, i.e. the culture of the forest as the basis for the alliance between man and nature.

The forest road network provides access to the forest area to facilitate the conservation, the management and the value of forest ecosystems. In the case of poor design as well as poor or absent maintenance, the forest road network can cause significant environmental impacts, which can result in erosion and sedimentation, landslides, effects on flora and fauna and landscape impacts. In order to avoid such impacts, the road network must be planned, built and maintained in a correct and adequate way according to the environment in which the same roads are inserted. As consequence, the present paper would like to propose some considerations about forest road functions, definitions as well as in term of standard design and planning to support the implementation of the operative guidelines of the recent consolidate law on forestry.

Forests provide a wide range of important ecosystem services and, among these benefits, biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Forest management (including no active control) deeply affects wildlife management, since it can alter habitat structure and productivity, speed-up evolution of ecosystems, and impact on wildlife ability to survive and reproduce. Unfortunately still very often, practitioners, forest planners and policy-makers fail to understand this opportunity. Forest management can maintain and enhance quality, quantity and availability of natural resources for wildlife, and therefore it is a valuable management tool long recognized in the wildlife practice. This is particularly true for species associated to forest ecosystems which are threatened or endangered, such as the Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus). Based on an extensive literature review on forest management-bear interactions, we report recommended management actions and associated working techniques, hereby illustrated and discussed in order to define a set of forest management guidelines meant to promote and encourage the adoption of adequate silviculture practices in Apennine forests, as well as to facilitate and support the range expansion of Apennine brown bear beyond its current core distribution. Our aim is also to present these guidelines to a wider scientific audience and decision-makers to foster their implementation into management practices, especially within protected areas. Finally, our ultimate goal is to fill the gap between disciplines such as silviculture and animal ecology, with the aim of stimulating the multidisciplinary approach requested not only for the conservation of the Apennine brown bear but for the integrated and enhanced management of wildlife in general.

Giovanni Bernetti passed away on 21 December 2022. For several decades he taught forest mensuration, forest management and silviculture at the University of Firenze. Remembering him as a master, with whom I shared an entire professional life arouses emotions that are not easy to communicate. Giovanni Bernetti is to be considered among the great masters of Italian forest sciences. As a keen interpreter of forest dynamics and management, he disseminated his deep knowledge in several books and seminal papers of high scientific and professional influence as well. Thank you so much indeed, Prof. Bernetti, for your great cultural and scientific legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entry into force of the new Italian national forest law was followed by the recent approval of the new European regulation 2018/841 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from land use, land use change and forest (the so called LULUCF sector) into the 2030 climate and energy reduction targets. While the national forest law has been extensively debated, the EU regulation has not received, at least in Italy, a due attention by the forest sector. Since the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the accounting and reporting of GHG for the forestry sector has been strongly debated and constrained by a series of technical issues, such as the quantification of the actual contribution of anthropogenic activities to GHG removals. The new LULUCF regulation seeks to overcome these limits by proposing a novel approach for accounting GHG emissions and removals in the forestry sector for the period 2020-2030. Moreover, emissions in the forest sector become more comparable to those in other sectors. The most innovative aspects refer to the so-called Forest Reference Level (FRL), and to the inclusion of accounting procedures also for Harvested Wood Products. The FRL is an estimate of the expected GHG emissions and removals in managed forest lands, against which the future GHG emissions and removals will be calculated. Despite originally based on policy assumptions (e.g., expected harvest), the new FRL is based on estimating the theoretical development of forests resulting from the continuation of the management practices as observed in the reference period 2000-2009. Thus, the FRL incorporates the age-structure dynamics of forest stands, and allows for increasing removals in aging forests. In this way, any impact of changes in forest management on GHG emissions will be considered, as in other sectors. Considering that Member States have the responsibility to account for GHG emissions and removals for the LULUCF sector, the implementation of the new LULUCF regulation, and the inherent calculation of the FRL represent both a challenge (for defining past and future management practices and harvest) and an opportunity (for enhancing the forestry-wood and energy chain) for the forestry sector in Italy.

Coppice silviculture: are laws and regulations in line with current conditions in Italy? Despite a less intensive management in the recent decades, coppices still cover a large part of Italian woodlands. Currently, they are characterized by relatively large wood volumes, especially with respect of those stands classified as “aged”. The current European and national strategies to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the related increasing demand of renewable bio-energy sources are giving a new boost to the coppice system, so that the need for an improved management of these stands is emerging. Under this perspective, this note highlights the opportunity for an overall revision of current forest laws and regulations at regional level in Italy, in order to embed recent scientific achievements and harmonize some aspects such as definitions, rotation, conversion to high stands, standards, cut size and administrative procedures.

A sever flood event hit Mt. Amiata region in July 2019. We know that trees can help to reduce or prevent flooding, but we also know that there are thresholds in this mitigation/prevention role and when these limits are exceeded we have to expect damages that cannot be avoided. Frequencies of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves are increasing and expected to increase in the future. Researchers and managers have to dedicate time and effort to communicate better with stakeholders about the role of the forest and the forest management regarding these events and address the discussion on facts instead that on opinions. Facts are accurate statements while opinions are expressed statements that are believed to be true but may or may not be facts. The Amiata flood event is an example where the discussion spread in many media has been mainly based on opinions rather than facts.

Simulation, calibration and validation protocols for the model 3D-CMCC-CNR-FEM: a case study in the Bonis’ watershed (Calabria, Italy). At present, the climate changes issue is perhaps the greatest threat that is affecting people and the environment. Forest ecosystems have a key role in the mitigation of climate change. In this context, the prediction of the evolution and growth dynamics of the forests including carbon and water fluxes, and in relation to forest management has become a primary objective. The present study aims at defining a protocol for data collection and the workflow for using the 3D-CMCC-CNR-FEM model in a small mountain watershed in the Calabria region. Within this work we synergistically integrate data coming from different methods (e.g., LiDAR, eddy covariance and sample area) to predict forest dynamics (growth, carbon and water fluxes). Carbon and water fluxes will be simulated considering also the effects of forest management.

Forest fires in Italy are changing. More frequent heatwaves and drought increase the flammability of the vegetation; the abandonment of rural land produces 30.000 ha of newly afforested areas each year; and the wildland-urban interface is expanding with the sprawl of urbanized areas. However, forest fires are rarely understood and managed in their complexity. The public opinion is often misinformed on the causes and consequences of fires in the forest. Moreover, fire management relies almost exclusively on extinction and emergency response, resulting in high costs and limited efficacy versus extreme fire seasons. We advocate to increase the role and investments in wildfire prevention, which can be carried out by fuel-oriented silviculture, such as facilitating less flammable species or prescribed burning, in order to reduce the flammability of the vegetation and mitigate fire intensity in high-leverage areas. A centralized structure is necessary to implement such a strategy and coordinate the competences and actions of all local administrations and actors involved.

Forest fires in 2017: a useful lesson. Forest fires, together with the decline of silviculture practice, are one of the most important natural disturbances affecting Mediterranean forests. The year 2017 is shaping up to be a record breaking fire season all around Southern Europe and especially in Italy for the sheer amount of hectares burned. Here we discuss about the importance of forest fire management, highlighting the role of prescribed burning and mechanical treatment (e.g., manual removal, thinning) in reducing the risk of high-intensity wildfires. We report on the successful applications of those fire management techniques on the pinewoods of Vesuvio National Park and Castel Fusano Natural Reserve. The information compiled in the present article aims to demonstrate the potential relevance and impact of forest resources management for fire hazard reduction and shows the necessity of strong interaction among not only the scientific community, but also forest managers, decision makers and the civic responsibility of society at large.

Old-growth forests are terrestrial ecosystems with the highest level of biodiversity and the main environments for the study of conservation and dynamics of the forest system. In Mediterranean Europe, two millennia of human exploitation deeply altered the structural complexity of the native forests. Some animal groups, including insects, may be used as a proxy of such changes. In this paper we explored the possible effects of forest management on the functional diversity (species traits) of carabid beetle communities. Three old-growth forests of the Sila National Park were sampled by pitfall traps set up in pure beech, beech-silver fir and Calabrian black pine forests. In each forest, five managed vs. five unmanaged stands were considered. Managed sites were exploited until the sixties of the past century and then left unmanaged. More than 6000 carabid specimens belonging to 23 species were collected. The functional diversity in carabid groups is influenced by forest management especially in beech and beech-silver fir stands. Body size, specialized predators, endemic species and forest species were negatively affected by stand management. On the contrary, omnivorous ground beetles populations (or species) with a high dispersal power (macropterous) and large geographic distribution were positively influenced by stand management. In pine forests the old-growth community seems less sensitive to past management and more affected by soil evolution. Soil erosion and disturbance may reduce species diversity of ground beetles. Anyway, the composition of the carabid community shows that 50-60 years of forest restoration are enough for the reconstruction of a fairly diverse assemblage reflecting a “subclimax” situation.

In this work, a spatial decision support system dedicated to forest management in Calabria (CFOR) is presented. The main aim of the tool is to assess wood production under various harvesting options. All functionalities have been developed by Python and R languages for QGIS. Main inputs are digital models, mainly derived from Lidar, and vector shapefiles.

For decades ecologists and natural resource managers have operated on the assumption that the normal condition of nature, if not disturbed by humans, is a state of equilibrium called homeostasis. This paradigm led to the doctrine, popular especially among conservationists, that nature knows best and that human intervention is bad by definition. In the last decades new evidences have led ecologists and natural resource managers to abandon such concept or consider it as irrelevant. The new paradigm is that ecosystems are constantly changing and the main engine of this change are natural disturbances (e.g., fire, wind, insect outbreaks, etc.). The biological diversity is dependent on natural disturbance, thus natural resource conservation and management must take into account the fundamental role of these events.

This paper compares the traditional vs carbon-oriented forest management of two coniferous stands in the Alpine environment, quantifying the carbon sink, the carbon credit generated and the economic results. The results show the economic feasibility of the transition from current forest management strategies to a carbon-oriented method in the considered context. Carbon-oriented management provides relevant environmental benefits, combatting climate change, even though some elements of uncertainty still persist, particularly in relation to achieving a profitable management, specifically due to the volatile voluntary carbon credit market.

This paper compares the traditional vs carbon-oriented forest management of two coniferous stands in the Alpine environment, quantifying the carbon sink, the carbon credit generated and the economic results. The results show the economic feasibility of the transition from current forest management strategies to a carbon-oriented method in the considered context. Carbon-oriented management provides relevant environmental benefits, combatting climate change, even though some elements of uncertainty still persist, particularly in relation to achieving a profitable management, specifically due to the volatile voluntary carbon credit market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a letter sent recently to the authors of the “Manuals for monitoring species and habitats of EC interest (Directive 92/43/CEE) in Italy: habitats”. Critical comments are raised about the description of Apennine beech forests with Taxus baccata and Ilex aquifolium (Habitat 9210*) and the methods proposed for forest measurement and sampling. The described scenario about this forest habitat is considered unrealistic.

This paper reviews the literature relating to the relationship between light availability in the understory and the main qualitative and quantitative attributes of stand overstory usually considered in forest management and planning (species composition, density, tree sizes, etc.) as well as their changes as consequences of harvesting. The paper is divided in two sections: the first one reviews studies which investigated the influence of species composition on understory light conditions; the second part examines research on the relationships among stand parameters determined from dendrometric field data and the radiation on understory layer. The objective was to highlight which are the most significant stand traits and management features to build more practical models for predicting light regimes in any forest stand and, in more general terms, to support forest managers in planning and designing silvicultural treatments that retain structure in different way in order to meet different objectives.

The entry into force of the new Italian national forest law was followed by the recent approval of the new European regulation 2018/841 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from land use, land use change and forest (the so called LULUCF sector) into the 2030 climate and energy reduction targets. While the national forest law has been extensively debated, the EU regulation has not received, at least in Italy, a due attention by the forest sector. Since the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the accounting and reporting of GHG for the forestry sector has been strongly debated and constrained by a series of technical issues, such as the quantification of the actual contribution of anthropogenic activities to GHG removals. The new LULUCF regulation seeks to overcome these limits by proposing a novel approach for accounting GHG emissions and removals in the forestry sector for the period 2020-2030. Moreover, emissions in the forest sector become more comparable to those in other sectors. The most innovative aspects refer to the so-called Forest Reference Level (FRL), and to the inclusion of accounting procedures also for Harvested Wood Products. The FRL is an estimate of the expected GHG emissions and removals in managed forest lands, against which the future GHG emissions and removals will be calculated. Despite originally based on policy assumptions (e.g., expected harvest), the new FRL is based on estimating the theoretical development of forests resulting from the continuation of the management practices as observed in the reference period 2000-2009. Thus, the FRL incorporates the age-structure dynamics of forest stands, and allows for increasing removals in aging forests. In this way, any impact of changes in forest management on GHG emissions will be considered, as in other sectors. Considering that Member States have the responsibility to account for GHG emissions and removals for the LULUCF sector, the implementation of the new LULUCF regulation, and the inherent calculation of the FRL represent both a challenge (for defining past and future management practices and harvest) and an opportunity (for enhancing the forestry-wood and energy chain) for the forestry sector in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a less intensive management in the recent decades, coppices still cover a large part of Italian woodlands. Currently, they are characterized by relatively large wood volumes, especially with respect of those stands classified as "aged". The current European and national strategies to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the related increasing demand of renewable bio-energy sources are giving a new boost to the coppice system, so that the need for an improved management of these stands is emerging. Under this perspective, this note highlights the opportunity for an overall revision of current forest laws and regulations at regional level in Italy, in order to embed recent scientific achievements and harmonize some aspects such as definitions, rotation, conversion to high stands, standards, cut size and administrative procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Storia delle Donne is the property of Firenze University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The prescription of stand rotation according to site conditions and economic targets requires yield information that expresses stand productivity under different site-classes. This is particularly relevant for the optimal management of chestnut coppices allowing the production of timber assortments sized differently. This paper reports a new yield model built for chestnut coppices of the Cimini and Vicani mountains (Central Italy), according to three site index classes. The model focuses on the development of stands after an intense thinning carried out at the ages of 13-14 years. The model is compared with two previous yield tables built for chestnut coppice forests living in the same area and including one site index class only. The study stresses the high productivity of chestnut coppices growing on the volcanic soils of Cimini and Vicani mountains and shows how the growth course following intense thinning allows to get stems with large mean volume at the end of rotation. In the light of the most recent studies on the causes of ring shake, i.e. the most relevant defect of chestnut wood, the negative consequences on timber quality originating from the current thinning regime are also outlined.

At present, the climate changes issue is perhaps the greatest threat that is affecting people and the environment. Forest ecosystems have a key role in the mitigation of climate change. In this context, the prediction of the evolution and growth dynamics of the forests including carbon and water fluxes, and in relation to forest management has become a primary objective. The present study aims at defining a protocol for data collection and the workflow for using the 3D-CMCC-CNR-FEM model in a small mountain watershed in the Calabria region. Within this work we synergistically integrate data coming from different methods (e.g., LiDAR, eddy covariance and sample area) to predict forest dynamics (growth, carbon and water fluxes). Carbon and water fluxes will be simulated considering also the effects of forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fires, together with the decline of silviculture practice, are one of the most important natural disturbances affecting Mediterranean forests. The year 2017 is shaping up to be a record breaking fire season all around Southern Europe and especially in Italy for the sheer amount of hectares burned. Here we discuss about the importance of forest fire management, highlighting the role of prescribed burning and mechanical treatment (e.g., manual removal, thinning) in reducing the risk of high-intensity wildfires. We report on the successful applications of those fire management techniques on the pinewoods of Vesuvio National Park and Castel Fusano Natural Reserve. The information compiled in the present article aims to demonstrate the potential relevance and impact of forest resources management for fire hazard reduction and shows the necessity of strong interaction among not only the scientific community, but also forest managers, decision makers and the civic responsibility of society at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fires in Italy are changing. More frequent heatwaves and drought increase the flammability of the vegetation; the abandonment of rural land produces 30.000 ha of newly afforested areas each year; and the wildland-urban interface is expanding with the sprawl of urbanized areas. However, forest fires are rarely understood and managed in their complexity. The public opinion is often misinformed on the causes and consequences of fires in the forest. Moreover, fire management relies almost exclusively on extinction and emergency response, resulting in high costs and limited efficacy versus extreme fire seasons. We advocate to increase the role and investments in wildfire prevention, which can be carried out by fuel-oriented silviculture, such as facilitating less flammable species or prescribed burning, in order to reduce the flammability of the vegetation and mitigate fire intensi - ty in high-leverage areas. A centralized structure is necessary to implement such a strategy and coordinate the competences and actions of all local administrations and actors involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old-growth forests are terrestrial ecosystems with the highest level of biodiversity and the main environments for the study of conservation and dynamics of the forest system. In Mediterranean Europe, two millennia of human exploitation deeply altered the structural complexity of the native forests. Some animal groups, including insects, may be used as a proxy of such changes. In this paper we explored the possible effects of forest management on the functional diversity (species traits) of carabid beetle communities. Three old-growth forests of the Sila National Park were sampled by pitfall traps set up in pure beech, beech-silver fir and Calabrian black pine forests. In each forest, five managed vs. five unmanaged stands were considered. Managed sites were exploited until the sixties of the past century and then left unmanaged. More than 6000 carabid specimens belonging to 23 species were collected. The functional diversity in carabid groups is influenced by forest management especially in beech and beech-silver fir stands. Body size, specialized predators, endemic species and forest species were negatively affected by stand management. On the contrary, omnivorous ground beetles populations (or species) with a high dispersal power (macropterous) and large geographic distribution were positively influenced by stand management. In pine forests the old-growth community seems less sensitive to past management and more affected by soil evolution. Soil erosion and disturbance may reduce species diversity of ground beetles. Anyway, the composition of the carabid community shows that 50-60 years of forest restoration are enough for the reconstruction of a fairly diverse assemblage reflecting a "subclimax" situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a spatial decision support system dedicated to forest management in Calabria (CFOR) is presented. The main aim of the tool is to assess wood production under various harvesting options. All functionalities have been developed by Python and R languages for QGIS. Main inputs are digital models, mainly derived from Lidar, and vector shapefiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the climate changes issue is perhaps the greatest threat that is affecting people and the environment. Forest ecosystems have a key role in the mitigation of climate change. In this context, the prediction of the evolution and growth dynamics of the forests including carbon and water fluxes, and in relation to forest management has become a primary objective. The present study aims at defining a protocol for data collection and the workflow for using the 3D-CMCC-CNR-FEM model in a small mountain watershed in the Calabria region. Within this work we synergistically integrate data coming from different methods (e.g., LiDAR, eddy covariance and sample area) to predict forest dynamics (growth, carbon and water fluxes). Carbon and water fluxes will be simulated considering also the effects of forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, ozone effects on forests as well as the loss of biodiversity are nowadays the top priorities of environmental monitoring programmes in Europe. The first set of twenty Level II PMPs (Permanent Monitoring Plots) of the CONECOFOR programme was installed in 1995. At the moment, the intensive monitoring network includes 31 PMPs. All the plots were framed into the UN/ECE ICP-Forests; since 1998, 10 plots were also included into the UN/ECE ICP-IM as bio-monitoring sites. With the entering into force of EC Regulation Forest Focus, these new priorities found an EU legal basis for co-funding the related pilot projects, developed at trans-national level in the field of forest biodiversity monitoring: ForestBIOTA and BioSoil. In the frame of the EEA programme SEBI2010, a specific qualitative forest indicator has been developed by the Italian Forest Service. The Forest Status Indicator is based on sub-indicators identified and implemented at pan-European and National level, such as tree condition, forest structure, deadwood, plant species composition and naturalness, mostly available at European level and collected according to harmonized methods. In 2004, the Italian Forest Service (CONECOFOR Board) joined the Network of Excellence ALTER-Net. The participation to ALTER-Net gave the opportunity to Italy to become official member of the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) in 2006: four LTER-Italy sites include forest environments and 10 research stations (plots) belong to CONECOFOR Level II network. At international level, CONECOFOR is the leader in FutDiv proposal (Future Forest Biodiversity Monitoring in Europe) and an associated beneficiary in the FutMon proposal (Further Development and Implementation of an EU-level Forest Monitoring System), already submitted under the EC Regulation LIFE+.

Remebering Bérenger’s aphorims: “Documents in good standing and forest to ruin”. Remembering the Adolfo di Bérenger’s aphorism: “documents in good standing and forest to ruin” from the book Studii di Archeologia Forestale. The Author is considered the founder of the Italian forest science. This document tells the history of the head of rangers and the changes of skills and tasks through time. The most likely causes are the variation of the norms and laws implemented and the transfer of some duties from the State to Region.

The recent Durban Climate Conference can be considered a step forward in the agroforestry sector within the international climate regulatory regime. After four years of negotiations the long-awaited decision on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol was agreed, including a new activity (wetland drainage and rewetting), defining the accounting rules for forest management (which was shifted from voluntary to mandatory), the accounting for harvested wood products and the treatment of emissions from natural disturbances. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation, sustainable management of forest, and the enhancement of forest carbon stock (REDD+) has moved ahead as well, with the agreement of two decisions as an intermediate step for the finalization of the REDD+ mechanism architecture. The first decision is about methodological aspects on guidance on system for providing information on how safeguards are addressed and respected and on modalities relating to forest reference emission levels and forest reference levels that are benchmarks for assessing country’s performance in implementing REDD+ activities. The second decision is about policy approaches and incentives on REDD+ activities, that is the controversial issue on the sources of financing for REDD+ mechanism. As source of finance for result-based actions, a wide variety of sources are recognized: public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including the Green Climate Fund, provided that they are new, additional and predictable. Both market and non-market approaches were also considered as possible tool for financing REDD+ action, to be developed by the Conference of Parties. Although a more ambitious outcome would have been desirable, the conference in Durban concluded with the finalization of key outcomes in the forestry sector providing important operational instruments to incentivize sustainable forest management at global level, representing a significant step forward in the full recognition of the fundamental role of forests in the carbon cycle.

The coexistence of public and private interests on forest ecosystems makes the silvicultural interventions the most thorny moment of their management. In this paper the author analyzes the characteristics of forest firms and logging companies usually involved in forest management. The relations between their legitimate interests, expectations and strategies, the ways by which forest firm may entrust the execution of the silvicultural intervention, etc. are aspects strongly connected with the public interests, which is protected by forestry institutions. Silvicultural system of management interventions is the context where public interests are coordinated with the private interests. The output are qualitative and quantitative standards for the use of forest resources. Moving on from this preliminary to the executive phase, the case study has highlighted the crucial role played by foresters, who have to guarantee the coexistence of public and private interests on forests.

After summarizing the main topics of the book “A Critique of Silviculture - Managing for Complexity” (Puettmann et al. 2009), some aspects of interest on the management of forests as complex, adaptive systems, are briefly discussed in order to contribute to the ongoing debate dividing silviculturists, researchers and scholars in Italy.

Different thinning intensities were compared in a 50-years-old plantation of Pinus nigra sp. located in the “Foreste Casentinesi Monte Falterona e Campigna” National Park (northern Apennine - Italy). Six experimental square plots (900 m2) were set up for comparison of two thinning intensities: heavy thinning (F: approximately 30% of basal area removed), light thinning (d: approximately 15% of basal area removed) and control (Co). The comparison concerned: (1) the periodic increment of the trees in terms of volume (Ipv), average dbh (Ipd), height (Iph) and the variation of height/diameter ratio (S) in time; (2) forest canopy cover, indirectly expressed in term of relative irradiance (I.R.). Eight years after the felling, the results highlight that F thinning: (a) increases the homogeneity of timber, as the stand volume is concentrated in dominant trees; (b) favours tree diameter increment: Ipd values increase significantly according to the thinning intensity; (c) reduces tree height increment (lower values of Iph were recorded in the F plots); (d) promotes stand stability: lower value of S are highlighted in F plots, and no significant increase of this parameter in time has been recorded. As regards canopy cover, a significant negative correlation was recorded between stand basal area after the thinning and I.R. at ground level. After harvesting, a significant difference in terms of average I.R. between thinning intensities (F, d and Co) was also recorded: nowadays, significant differences of average I.R. are observed between Co and d, whereas F shows intermediate values: the canopy gap originated from the felling has been quickly filled. Our results highlight the growth potential of Black European pine in the studied area; however, only heavy thinning shows interesting results in terms of both tree growth and stand stability.

The state-owned pine forests on the coast of Ravenna and Ferrara: analysis of forest and structure types for choice of silvicultural system in the planning process. Results of the analysis on typology and structure of state forests dominated by maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) are reported. These formations grow on a narrow coastal belt between Cervia (Ravenna) and Volano (Ferrara), in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). The aim of the study is to support the proper silvicultural system in order to satisfy multiple use of pine forests using the analysis of forest types and model types of structure. Main ecological and structural features of principal pine forest types and experimental criteria on silvicultural systems are explained.

Following recent critiques on systemic silviculture, the author examines the principles, scientific consequences and practical implications of this theory. Systemic silviculture is based on the assumption that the forest is a complex biological system. This means abandoning the reductive, mechanistic and deterministic paradigm that has characterized forest science until the last century. If the forest is a complex biological system then its properties cannot be reduced to those of its components. According to this assumption, the author analyzes the concepts of forest structure, predictability and unpredictability of forest ecosystem processes, intrinsic value and rights of the forest. Systemic silviculture is characterized by an adaptive approach which has the flexibility and the capacity to respond to environmental retroactions which are fundamental for the governance of complex and adaptive systems. The author concludes that the bases of systemic silviculture are unassailable and surely much sounder than those of “naturalistic” silviculture, or at least of that type of silviculture which, trying to define “natural structural models” for forest ecosystems, is still anchored to the old, classic, paradigm of natural resource management and conservation.

According to art. 3.3 and 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol it is possible to achieve the emissions reductions goals through removals by sinks resulting mostly from afforestation, reforestation and forest management activities. At the moment the EU-ETS scheme does not allow the trade of LULUCF credits, though the member states can use the RMUs or develop CDM projects on afforestation and reforestation (tCER/lCER) to achieve the emissions reductions goals. This paper will focus on the impact on the EU-ETS allowance price of the trade of LULUCF credits and will analyze the key-role that the rewarding of avoided deforestation credits (REDD credits) could play against the deforestation of Amazon Rainforest.

The work illustrates the methodology and initial results of research into how the inhabitants of the Municipality of Trento perceive the woods, research which will be subsequently extended to other municipalities in the Trentino (central-east Alps). The chosen method of survey is the self-reported questionnaire, using a random sample of 1000 families selected from the local Registry Office. The article describes in detail the method of formulation, verification and proposal to the respondents, method that revealed itself an instrument well-suited to the reality of the territory surveyed. Also discussed are the possibilities of extending its use to other territorial areas. The results of the descriptive analysis relative to certain themes dealt with in the survey, and set out in the work, clearly demonstrate the strong bond between population and territory; the appreciation of the mountain landscape typical of the Trentino, a solid knowledge of the woods of the province and the recognition of the importance of these in the characterisation of the landscape. The work underlines the importance of taking into consideration not only the values that are commonly attributed to the forest ecosystem, but also those that involve the emotive sphere and the sense of cultural identity of the population. Lastly, the usefulness to those responsible for the protection and management of the natural resources that are part of the region’s heritage, and the possible spin-offs to be gained from a survey of this type, are discussed, further emphasizing the importance of opening channels of dialogue between community and administrator.