PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In the Ticino valley the decline of traditional woodland management methods, based on the manual extraction of forest products, the collection of firewood and the maintenance of wetlands for hunting purposes, coupled with clear-felling and the building speculation in the 1960s and 70s, has severely damaged the woodland ecosystems. The forests along the Ticino river are very fragile. Wherever broad corridors and clearings have been opened up, the dominant tree species such as the oak (Quercus robur), black alder (Alnus glutinosa) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) are rapidly replaced by a scrub of exotic species consisting of a dense undergrowth of American cherry (Prunus serotina), false acacia (Robinia pseudacacia), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and red oak (Quercus rubra).
The establishment of a nature park has stopped building abuse, uncontrolled exploitation of the forest undergrowth and motorised traffic crossing the site, but the problem of controlling exotic invaders and restoring the original forest remained.
OBJECTIVES
The project sought to preserve the structural stability of the priority Alnion glutinosae forest habitats, under attack from the American cherry and other exotic trees, and to re-establish the Stellario-Carpinetum oak woods. To do this, invading species had to be removed from the most threatened clearings. A four-year management plan had to be elaborated and applied with the overall aim of guiding and accelerating the natural evolution of the woodlands by means of sylvicultural interventions designed to allow formation of an oak-hornbeam forest of tall trees (Querceto-Carpinetum).
The park administration intended to tackle 231 ha of woods with measures to re-forest and to cut out undesirable elements. In view of the scale of the work required and the long time a forest takes to evolve, the park administration has committed itself to continuing the measures to control invasive species beyond the duration of the LIFE project.
RESULTS
The project was concluded obtaining positive results.
Among the main actions carried out and achievements obtained there were:
Elaboration of forestry management plan. The plan included a complete list of flora species with qualitative information and of EU priority habitats in the project’s area. Among these there were "Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-pandion, Alnion incanae and Salicion albae)", "Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior or Fraxinus angustifolia, along the great rivers","Pseudosteppe with grasses and annuals (Thero-brachypodietea)" and "Inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis grasslands". Reforestation using autochthonous species and removal of infesting species such as Prunus serotina, Robinia psedoacacia, and Ailanthus altissimo.According to the beneficiary, the elimination of the exotic species improved the stability and quality of the targeted habitats of EU interest, such as “Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosae and Fraxinus excelsior, Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior, along the great rivers” and “Sub atlantic and medio-european oak or oak-hornbeam of the Carpinion betuli. The elimination of invasive species will have a positive effect also on zoological groups . Chemical elimination of Prunus serotina was experimented on 2 ha, with a positive result. EVADE product was used for two years. No Negative impact on the surrounding vegetation and on fauna was observed. The project was carried out with the involvement of 16 local landowners in the implementation of the forestry practices, over an area of almost 200 ha. The involvement of the landowners would allow them to continue the forestry work and monitoring also after the project conclusion. A public awareness campaing, including an environmental program involving local schools. The project was concluded obtaining positive results.
Among the main actions carried out and achievements obtained there were:
Elaboration of forestry management plan. The plan included a complete list of flora species with qualitative information and of EU priority habitats in the project’s area. Among these there were "Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-pandion, Alnion incanae and Salicion albae)", "Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior or Fraxinus angustifolia, along the great rivers","Pseudosteppe with grasses and annuals (Thero-brachypodietea)" and "Inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis grasslands". Reforestation using autochthonous species and removal of infesting species such as Prunus serotina, Robinia psedoacacia, and Ailanthus altissimo.According to the beneficiary, the elimination of the exotic species improved the stability and quality of the targeted habitats of EU interest, such as “Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosae and Fraxinus excelsior, Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior, along the great rivers” and “Sub atlantic and medio-european oak or oak-hornbeam of the Carpinion betuli. The elimination of invasive species will have a positive effect also on zoological groups . Chemical elimination of Prunus serotina was experimented on 2 ha, with a positive result. EVADE product was used for two years. No Negative impact on the surrounding vegetation and on fauna was observed. The project was carried out with the involvement of 16 local landowners in the implementation of the forestry practices, over an area of almost 200 ha. The involvement of the landowners would allow them to continue the forestry work and monitoring also after the project conclusion. A public awareness campaing, including an environmental program involving local schools.
