PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The forestry structure and patterns of Mediterranean and Apennine woodlands are recognisably simplifying, having a negative impact on mainly deciduous species. It is caused by a wide range of factors, such as the ageing of traditional coppice woodlands and limited knowledge of innovative management patterns. In recent decades, a new woodland management method known as 'single tree silviculture' has become increasingly prevalent in several European countries. This method aims to increase the average value of forestry areas while reducing management costs through the selection of a limited amount of high-value tree species (target trees).
OBJECTIVES
The P.Pro.SPO.T project aimed to introduce single tree silviculture to Tuscany for the management and conservation of sporadic tree species found within plantations. The overall aim was to increase the biodiversity, ecological stability and whole value (including economic) of the forest. It planned to carry out a regional forest inventory to define suitable areas for the protection and improvement of sporadic tree species. Forest management plans would be drawn up and implemented for the Colline Metallifere and Appennino Pistoiese forest districts. Additionally, demonstration areas would be set up to illustrate the tree-oriented silviculture techniques applied to the sporadic trees.
RESULTS
The P.Pro.SPO.T. project demonstrated the feasibility of applying single tree silviculture to sporadic species in coppice woods with a view to improving their conservation and overall value. This tree-oriented approach was innovative for Tuscany, as well as Italy as a whole and Europe in general, given that such silviculture is not widely known or applied. In fact, it is implemented only on dominant trees and on high forest populations.
Silvicultural practices were carried on selected sporadic species in 800 hectares of woodland in Colline Metallifere and the Appennino Pistoiese. Ex-post monitoring showed that the interventions had a positive impact on the ecology of the pilot woods, improving the competitiveness of the target plants and the diversity indexes, as well as increasing in the fruition of these forests by birds. The target plants identified are expected to be standing in the forest for at least 70 years, thereby enriching the biodiversity of the woods composition and helping sequester an estimated 50 000 tonnes of CO2 over a century.
Furthermore, this procedure has been standardised in the Tuscan Forestry and Agricultural Heritage information system (SIPAFOR), allowing this pilot experience to be potentially transferred to all the 110 000 hectares belonging to the region. The dissemination of tree-oriented silviculture could also represent a strategyfor enhancing forests resilience to climate change, given that the selected plants can adapt to higher average temperatures than the ones currently present.
The project also organised three round tables, bringing together project partners, the regional government, local authorities, forest technicians, forestry companies and forest owners with a view to drafting a proposal to update regional legislation. The Regional Forest Law (no. 80 of 27/12/2012) was amended during the project lifetime to allow the possibility of implementing cuttings aimed to protecting and enhancing individual trees, a practice that was previously not permitted. The success of the demonstrative interventions on sporadic species showed that these best practices are worth replicating through the Rural Development Plan 2014-2020, leading to the region of Tuscany adopting the development of certified secondary forest products and of sporadic species silviculture as one of its RDP priorities. These outcomes further ensure the future exploitation of such species on the regional scale.
In support of this aim, technicians received on-site training in virtual tree marking areas that is expected to be maintained in the future. All professional technical and dissemination materials are available in English on the project website to promote the transferability of the project methodologies.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).
