PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Rural mountain areas are critical for the achievement of climate mitigation targets. They cover 35% of Europe’s territory and serve as home to 112 million people, equal to 17% of the European population. Mountain forests are currently expanding because of population decline, which has characterised these areas in the last decades, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe. However, besides positive aspects such as the increase of biodiversity and carbon storage, the unmanaged reforestation and the abandonment of many rural areas significantly reduce the resilience of mountain forests. In particular, according to the Standing Forestry Committee (SFC) of the European Commission, lack of forest management and long-term planning usually leads to:
- the accumulation of biomass that facilitates the risk and spread of fires;
- a reduced rate of carbon sequestration due to the aging of trees;
- a decrease in the ecosystem services provided by woods.
This problem concerns the whole of Europe, in particular the mountain areas of the Alps, the Carpathians, the Balkans and Greece.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of GreenChainSAW4LIFE was to contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change in mountain areas through the implementation of a new "participatory" model for forest management. The model, which was implemented in Northern Italy, entails the involvement of all stakeholders in the planning and management of local forest resources. It was tailored to the needs of rural and mountain areas, where it is most difficult to adopt best available practices and technologies.
The project thus contributed to the implementation of the following EU policies:
- the EU Adaptation Strategy and the "2020 Climate & Energy Package" for the mitigation of climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the silviculture sector;
- the 7th Environment Action Programme (EAP) for the shift towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon and climate-resilient economy;
- the Common Agriculture Policy through actions supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The project also supported the development of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, which the three cities involved in the project have joined.
RESULTS
Project’s results encompass:
- the creation of a digital archive to collect data (through satellite and field surveys) on local forest properties and identification of forest populations vulnerable to climate change;
- Implementation of “climate-smart” forestry interventions in two pilot areas in the province of Cuneo, covering around 10 ha;
- the development of a “Decision Support System” in an IT platform for the assessment of energy consumption and renewable energy potential of the project area (Valle Po and Infernotto);
- the development of Climate Energy and Forest Management Plans for 18 municipalities of the project area, predicting potential CO2 emission reductions of 80% by 2050, aligning with EU climate goals;
- engagement of local stakeholders through the formation of a stakeholders’ interest group on wood energy sector ("Monviso energy community") and reactivation of existing a local working group on the local wood supply chain ("Polo del legno Monviso");
- design and test of products made of local wood and their entrance into local markets for sale (such as beds, gazebos, outdoor dustbins, bicycle racks, benches, outdoor chairs, cabin houses, vertical panels and pallets);
- quantification of potential amount of local biomass and the related quantity of energy that can be produced in the project area (around 183 241 MWh/year of thermal energy);
- conversion of local wooden residues into electric energy in pyro-gasifier “Green Plasma” assembled by the Coordinating Beneficiary Iris outside the LIFE project in a new prototype which was successfully tested;
- replication of project activities in four local initiatives related to sustainable energy and forest aspects, funded through national and regional funding programmes;
- organisation of various events, including exhibitions and workshops, to raise awareness among local communities on climate smart forestry and energy production from renewable resources
