Francesco Riccioli

Modeling the influence of alternative forest management scenarios on wood production and carbon storage: A case study in the Mediterranean region.

Forest ecosystems are fundamental for the terrestrial biosphere as they deliver multiple essential ecosystem services (ES). In environmental management, understanding ES distribution and interactions and assessing the economic value of forest ES represent future challenges. In this study, we developed a spatially explicit method based on a multi-scale approach (MiMoSe-Multiscale Mapping of ecoSystem services) to assess the current and future potential of a given forest area to provide ES. To do this we modified and improved the InVEST model in order to adapt input data and simulations to the context of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. Specifically, we integrated a GIS-based model, scenario model, and economic valuation to investigate two ES (wood production and carbon sequestration) and their trade-offs in a test area located in Molise region (Central Italy). Spatial information and trade-off analyses were used to assess the influence of alternative forest management scenarios on investigated services. Scenario A was designed to describe the current Business as Usual approach. Two alternative scenarios were designed to describe management approaches oriented towards nature protection (scenario B) or wood production (scenario C) and compared to scenario A. Management scenarios were simulated at the scale of forest management units over a 20-year time period. Our results show that forest management influenced ES provision and associated benefits at the regional scale. In the test area, the Total Ecosystem Services Value of the investigated ES increases 85% in scenario B and decreases 82% in scenario C, when compared to scenario A. Our study contributes to the ongoing debate about trade-offs and synergies between carbon sequestration and wood production benefits associated with socio-ecological systems. The MiMoSe approach can be replicated in other contexts with similar characteristics, thus providing a useful basis for the projection of benefits from forest ecosystems over the future.

Use of cellular automata in the study of variables involved in land use changes: an application in the wine production sector.

The study of changes in land use has been included lately in territorial processes in order to optimize future management decisions. The different functions that the territory plays (production, aesthetic, and natural functions, etc.) make planning choices more difficult. This work focuses on the selection and combination of a set of indicators to analyze the variables through which the changes occur in the land used in viticulture for wine production. The proposed approach makes use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) in the development of a map of land use scenario. It is applied to a case study through a model involving cellular automata (CA) implemented with maps of suitability for viticulture and Markov chains. The use in this case of the CA is aimed at validating the scenario map in order to deduce the variables and the orientations of the farmers in the field of wine production.

Artificial neural network for multifunctional areas

The issues related to the appropriate planning of the territory are particularly pronounced in highly inhabited areas (urban areas), where in addition to protecting the environment, it is important to consider an anthropogenic (urban) development placed in the context of sustainable growth. This work aims at mathematically simulating the changes in the land use, by implementing an artificial neural network (ANN) model. More specifically, it will analyze how the increase of urban areas will develop and whether this development would impact on areas with particular socioeconomic and environmental value, defined as multifunctional areas. The simulation is applied to the Chianti Area, located in the province of Florence, in Italy. Chianti is an area with a unique landscape, and its territorial planning requires a careful examination of the territory in which it is inserted.

Mapping and assessment of forest ecosystems and their services - Applications and guidance for decision making in the framework of MAES

The aim of this report is to illustrate by means of a series of case studies the implementation of mapping and assessment of forest ecosystem services in different contexts and geographical levels. Methodological aspects, data issues, approaches, limitations, gaps and further steps for improvement are analysed for providing good practices and decision making guidance. The EU initiative on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES), with the support of all Member States, contributes to improve the knowledge on ecosytem services. MAES is one of the building-block initiatives supporting the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2000.

Una proposta metodologica per lo studio della multifunzionalità: l’Analisi MultiCriteriale Geografica

The aim of present paper is to give stakeholders a territorial model analysis that represent an helpful tool for estimate Common Agricultural Policy measures. This analysis model is adaptable to different territorial scenarios, and it focus on the analysis of multifunctionality of rural areas. In particular two vineyards areas in Florence province have been analyzed: Bianco Empolese and Chianti areas have been estimated through Spatial Multicriteria Decision Analysis. Multifunctionality degree of these areas has been represented by the interaction between human activities and environment and it has been divided into five functions. Each function has been analyzed through multidimensional indexes, then they have been showed by fuzzy maps into a Geographical Information System. The results shows a more multifunctionality degrees of Chianti areas than Bianco Empolese because the first one is a traditional area for wine production and it has a strong structure of wine farms.

Il valore d’uso delle aree verdi: la stima dell’universo dei fruitori di alcuni parchi urbani fiorentini

The importance of the valuation of public goods is growing. In fact, only by determining the economic value of these assets is possible to determine the efficiency of the investments and of the maintenance. The problems in estimating the total economic value relate to two fundamental aspects: the choice and implementation of the more accurate evaluation methodology and the identification of the universe of users. In literature, in fact, the issue of the universe is often resolved by considering the number of potential users (be they the inhabitants of a city, a neighborhood, a street, etc..) and not the actual visitors. This leads to an underestimation or an overestimation of the use value of public goods. The objective of this research is to focus on this issue by proposing a specific methodological approach to correctly estimate the universe of the actual users of different urban green areas of Florence.

Le variazioni del territorio rurale e le diverse tipologie di imprenditore agricolo: un caso di studio

The increasing attention of the Agricultural Policies on the issues regarding rural development must take into account the elements which influence the farmers’ behaviour. In fact, it is thanks to the farmers’ choices that there will be direct effects on the territorial, social, environmental and economic rural development. This paper examines a marginal area of Tuscany, the Mugello, and for that territory several farmers’ typologies have been detected. These farmers’ typologies are differentiated depending on the followed objective function, in order to assess the most probable future landscape management. Together with this economic analysis, based on a farmers’ typologies mathematical programming approach, the paper implements also a georeferred analysis (SIT), thanks to which it has been possible to create forecasted scenarios, using a raster cartography.

Il pagamento unico e la condizionalità nella modifica del paesaggio rurale. Un caso di studio

Il pagamento unico e la condizionalita nella modifica del paesaggio rurale. Un caso di studio

The recreational value of forests under different management systems

Forest degradation is a severe threat to the provision of ecosystem services, such as timber production, biodiversity and hydrogeological protection. Forest abandonment is one of the main causes of forest degradation in Mediterranean areas where the low value-added of forest activities affects economic sustainability. This issue requires urgent restoration actions which must be supported by cost–benefit analysis that comprises all forestry activities that generate income, including the recreational ones. In effect, while the impact of forest management systems on timber production is well studied, the impact of recreational values is not. The present article intends to demonstrate that different forms of forest management result in a differing willingness to pay (WTP) for maintaining the recreational use of forests. We collected 248 questionnaires from respondents who confirmed their WTP for the maintenance of the recreational function of forests under three management systems: coppice, active conversion to high forest, and the natural evolution of forests. Moreover, we tested the influence of certain socio-demographic variables on individual WTP. Users elicited a high preference for conversion to high forest, while natural evolution was the least preferred management system. Moreover, males and users with higher levels of education had a greater WTP for conversion to the high forest approach.

Geographical Analysis of Agro-Environmental Measures for Reduction of Chemical Inputs in Tuscany

The agro-environmental policies included in rural development plans are getting increasing importance in European Community strategies. These policies represent the meeting point between demand and supply of positive externalities. The difficulty of assessing real environmental efficiency is one of the elements characterizing agro-environmental measures. This difficulty is related to the identification of suitable parameters for evaluating farms according to their impact on the territory. This impact is mainly related both to chemical inputs and to the territorial characteristics of the farm. Different types of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are currently used in production processes; however, the analysis has focused only on nitrates, as they represent the most critical types of chemicals related to soil pollution. A case study is provided by analysis of agro-environmental measures in Tuscany for the reduction of nitrates in organic and integrated farms. Using spatial multicriteria analysis, integrated and organic farms were classified according to their geographical locations and their release of nitrates into the soil. This classification permits the highlighting of farms that make the greatest economic efforts to reduce pollution and therefore it could determine environmental benefits. Considering that the trend of policy strategies is toward a reduction of monetary resources, the classification could help decision makers choose the right allocation of future resources.