Vittorio Garfì

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.

Erratum to: Classification of the oldgrowthness of forest inventory plots with dissimilarity metrics in Italian National Parks

The concept of the old-growth forest is highly debated in the literature because of its implications, from close-to-nature forest management to carbon balance. Studies on old-growth forests have multiplied in the last three decades. Most of these studies have focussed on defining the structural features of old-growth forests of non-Mediterranean forest ecosystems or of specific forest types. In Italy, forest structure since Roman times has been greatly influenced by man. For this reason, the concept of old-growth forest in these ecosystems seems more controversial than at the global level. Nonetheless, in the Mediterranean region, there are persistent forest formations that present a certain level of oldgrowthness. These types of forests have been identified mostly in National Parks. The description of forest structure requires a vast amount of information about several biometric attributes. Consequently, the classification of forests as old growth is very time- and resource-consuming. This research aims to describe and test a proposed methodology to classify and determine the relative oldgrowthness of a series of forest inventory plots. Data from 77 beech forest plots located all across Italy were collected and compared with a virtual reference plot. To compare the forest plots, a set of similarity/dissimilarity indexes were tested. The results obtained show that it is possible to accurately rank the oldgrowthness of forest plots and to screen them to exclude non-old-growth forests. The method described was applied for the first time on a set of plots located in the Italian National Parks to determine a priority list of beech forests where further studies need to be conducted.

Harmonized forest categories in central Italy

ABSTRACT To support sustainable forest management, planning policies and environmental actions, it is essential to have available common and standardized geospatial information on forest structure, composition and distribution. In this paper we present a harmonized forest categories (HFCs) map of four administrative Regions located in central Italy (i.e. Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise) at a scale of 1:400,000. The study area extends over 42,246 km2, 14,878 km2 of which are covered by forests. Four regional forest maps were harmonized in order to produce common standardized information on composition, structure and the distribution of forests in central Italy. A forest category is a forest vegetation unit defined by the main tree species composition. In this study we adopted a nomenclature scheme composed of 16 forest and shrubland categories. This work represents the first HFCs map in Italy over a large area. The legend is also harmonized with the European Environment Agency forest types nomenclature.

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.

AREA DI VEGETAZIONE E CAMPO DI IDONEITÀ ECOLOGICA DEL CASTAGNO IN CALABRIA ( 1 )

Nel presente lavoro si fa il punto sulla distribuzione del castagno in Calabria avvalendosi di diversi strati informativi (CORINE Land Cover 3, foto aeree b/n del 1978/1982, ortofotodigitali del 1998, cartografia contenuta nei piani di assestamento). Sulla base delle informazioni desunte e stata allestita la carta della distribuzione del castagno in Calabria in scala 1:250.000. Inoltre, viene definito il campo di idoneita ecologica della specie, in Calabria, attraverso i parametri climatici e geopedologici che ne caratterizzano l’area di vegetazione.

Il pino insigne nell'arboricoltura da legno: analisi di interventi realizzati nell'Italia meridionale

In questo lavoro vengono presentati i risultati ottenuti in alcune piantagioni di pino insigne dell’eta di 19/20 anni, realizzate in Campania (Salerno), a differente altitudine e con sesti di impianto variabili. In generale, il pino insigne si e dimostrato una specie che offre interessanti possibilita di impiego nell’ambito degli interventi di arboricoltura da legno su terreni marginali all’agricoltura in ambiente mediterraneo. Inoltre, i migliori risultati, sia in termini di produzione legnosa che di portamento, sono stati ottenuti nei popolamenti situati in aree poste a quote superiori a 500 m s.l.m. e con precipitazioni medie mensili superiori a 100 mm nel periodo invernale-primaverile. L’area di idoneita ecologica di questa specie puo essere ascrivibile alla fascia compresa tra la sottozona calda del Castanetum e quella fredda del Lauretum, II tipo.