PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Between an altitude of 1350 and 1500 metres on the southern slopes of Mount Falterona, inside the Foreste Casentinesi-Monte Falterona-Campigna National Park, is an area of great historic, archaeological and ecological importance, containing two pSCIs with profoundly different characteristics. The pSCI 'Foreste alto bacino dell'Arno' is almost entirely covered by Apennine beech forests (a priority habitat) while the pSCI 'Crinale Monte Falterona, Monte Falco, Monte Gabrendo' consists exclusively of secondary meadows. The presence of 5-6 wolves in both of them is worth noting. Because the springs of the Arno River, described by the great poet Dante Alighieri, and the Etruscan archaeological site Lago degli Idoli are both located here, and access is easy, the area is much frequented by visitors. Their excessive trampling of the undergrowth hinders its rejuvenation. Inappropriate forestry management was, until a few years ago, another leading factor contributing to the degeneration of the beech woods. Conversely, invading junipers, brambles and sloe are gradually overwhelming the Montelleri meadows and threatening this habitat of Community importance.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE project had two principal objectives: on the one hand, the improvement and restoration of 100 ha of Apennine beech forests with Abies alba and Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests, on the other, maintaining 7.5 ha Alpine and sub-alpine heaths at Montelleri. The first objective was to be achieved through a series of measures including sylvicultural interventions to improve the composition and structure of the tree stands, measures to eliminate traces of the degradation wreaked by the previous forestry practised here and actions to promote a more sustainable tourism use. The meadows in the Montelleri clearing were to be safeguarded by removing the invading vegetation and this would have provided deer and wild goats with a first-class foraging area. In turn, this would have boosted the availability of prey (wild ungulates) for the wolves, so that they would have better opportunities for stabilising their population in the area.
RESULTS
The project was not implemented.The project was not implemented.
