Short description
The project aims at demonstrating, by real datasets collected from a long-term experimental plots network, how different management approaches have actually favoured or constrained the overall and the different aspects of sustainability of coppice forests. Given the concurrent, substantial changes of the forest growth environment (e.g. increased concentration of greenhouse gases, rising temperature, reduced precipitation and increased seasonal variability) occurring since the last decades, the results will improve the knowledge basis for SFM in the in view of the forecasted changes in key environmental drivers and pressures.
Assumptions and goals
1) Compare the sustainability of the different coppice management systems (traditional coppicing, natural evolution, pro-active conversion by selective felling). Existing and new datasets on SFM indicators are being evaluated, by means of long-term monitoring trials established over the last fifty years, to verify the consistency of each management system in ensuring the provision of forest ecosystem goods and services. This will provide the knowledge basis for SFM and will support the resource efficiency-related policy.
2) Test, demonstrate and disseminate the value of SFM indicators. FutureForCoppiceS is making use of the consolidated SFM indicators and is developing and implementing new methods for the collection and reporting of new, functionally-oriented indicators, to verify their ability to assess/ monitor the effects of each management system and their potential practical applications. This will contribute to broaden the scientific knowledge basis to strengthen the confidence in the SFM reporting.
3) Synthesize and upscale the results at broader geographical scales. FutureForCoppiceS aims at demonstrating the potential effects of different coppice management systems on a broader geographical scales. Results will be synthesized and spatialized in relation to the distribution/extent of the concerned European Forests Types (EFT) at the local forest districts, the administrative regions (Toscana and Sardegna), Italy, and the southern Europe scale.
Actions
A1 Stakeholders involvement and consultation
B1 Enhancement of Forest Resources and their Contribution to Global Carbon Cycles
B2 Forest Ecosystem Health and Vitality
B3 Productive Functions of Forests (Wood and Non-Wood)
B4 Biological Diversity in Forest Ecosystems
B5 Protective Forests
B6 Socio-Economic Functions and Conditions
B7 Data harmonization and project database
B8 Spatializing expected effect on SFM indicators
B9 Synthesis and evaluation
C1 Monitoring the impact of the project actions
C2 Monitoring the socio-economic impact of project actions
D1 Networking with other LIFE and/or non-LIFE projects
D2 Dissemination of project objectives and results
E1 Project management by coordinator
E2 Project monitoring
E3 Indicators for evaluation of project progress
E4 After-LIFE Communication Plan
E5 Monitoring and measuring LIFE Project Specific Indicators
Geographical areas of concern and Data source
FutureForCoppiceS builds on existing management trials installed by the Co-ordinating Beneficiary (CB) in the late 1960s.
Nine sites from two Italian regions Toscana (7 sites, 34 plots) and Sardegna (2 sites, 11 plots) were selected for the project. Sites cover 3 EFTs (mountainous beech forests, deciduous thermophilous forests, evergreen broadleaved forests).
Three sites (termed “plus” sites, 1 site per each EFT) were selected for testing new methods for collecting and reporting SFM indicators. The “plus” sites are: Buca Zamponi (beech), Is Cannoneris (holm oak) and Poggio Pievano (Turkey oak).
Sites considered in the Project
The partnership
Coordinating Beneficiary
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA)- Research Centre for Forestry and Wood
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) - Research Centre for Forestry and Wood
The Research Centre for Forestry and Wood deals with sustainable forest management and forest tree farming, with main specializations in silviculture, forest genetic resources management and improvement, conservation and improvement of forest biodiversity, multifunctionality, resilience and adaptability to global environmental changes as well as agroforestry and valorization on wood and non-wood good production
The Research Centre for Forestry and Wood belongs to the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), a National Research Organization which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, with general scientific competence within the fields of agriculture, agro-industry, food, fishery and forestry.
www.selvicoltura.eu
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
Coordinating Beneficiary and Project Manager
Responsible of Action : A1, B1, B3, B5, B7, B9, C1, C2, D1, D2, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5
• Andrea Cutini - Senior Researcher, Project Manager. Responsible of the actions B7, B9, C1, C2, D1, D2, E1-E5. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Gianfranco Fabbio - Research Manager. Responsible of the actions A1, B1, B3, B5. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Cristina Baldoni - Administrative Manager; financial coordinator of the project and member of the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Associated Beneficiaries
Agenzia forestale regionale per lo sviluppo del territorio e l'ambiente della Sardegna - Forestas
Agenzia forestale regionale per lo sviluppo del territorio e l'ambiente della Sardegna - Forestas
The Sardinian Forest Agency (Agenzia FoReSTAS) – named Ente Foreste della Sardegna up to 2016 - is the main public agency involved in forest and natural resource management in Sardinia. The Agency manages over 220.000 hectares of land, including the most ancient forests and sites of high natural value (Natura2000), although its activities span the whole island (24.000 sq. km), and employs more than 6000 workers. With a special focus on sustainable forest management, its main fields of activity concern: 1) natural resource and historical heritage management; 2) forest health and pest control; 3) fire prevention, detection and suppression; 4) silvicultural research and knowledge transfer; 5) plant nurseries for reforestation, habitat and species conservation; 6) consultancy in all areas of forest management; 7) civil protection and disaster management.
www.sardegnaambiente.it/foreste
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
Forestas manages the forests where two of the sites are located, Settefratelli and Is Cannoneris, in the province of Cagliari in southern Sardinia. Forestas supports all project actions.
• Giuliano Patteri - Technical manager; technical responsible and member of the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Corinne Caddeo - Technical staff; finantial/administrative responsible and deputy in the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fondazione Edmund Mach - FEM
Fondazione Edmund Mach - FEM
FEM is a public institute of the Autonomous Province of Trento. It is active in research, technology, and technology transfer.
A research center carries out studies in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment to improve the quality of life and social and economic growth.
www.fmach.it
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
Technical Management .
Responsible of Action B2 and B8. Involved in Action A1, B7, B9, C1, D2, E1
• Elena Gottardini - Researcher; Project Technical manager, action B2 responsible. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Fabiana Cristofolini - Technal staff; member of Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Duccio Rocchini - Researcher; action B8 responsible. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ente Terre regionali toscane (Tereto)
Ente Terre regionali toscane (Tereto)
Tereto promotes the valorization of the public agricultural and forest heritage of the region and makes the promotion of farming, pastoral and silvicultural activities, with specific attention to enhance young enterpreneurs activities.
www.artea.toscana.it/sezioni/Evidenza/ Testi/TerreToscaneIntro.aspx
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
Partecipa attivamente a diverse azioni con personale strutturato. Coordina le attività degli Enti delegati alla gestione del patrimonio agricolo forestale della Regione Toscana sul quale ricadono le 31 aree storiche (plot di progetto) e gestisce direttamente le 3 aree (plot di progetto) di Alberese .
• Claudio del Re - Director; Technical responsible and member of the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Marco Locatelli - Technical Staff; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Bruno Ciucchi - Technical Staff; deputy in Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Università degli Studi di Firenze - dipartimento di Gestione dei Sistemi Agrari, Alimentari e Forestali (GESAAF)
Università degli Studi di Firenze - dipartimento di Gestione dei Sistemi Agrari, Alimentari e Forestali (GESAAF)
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Systems,(GESAAF), part of the School of Agriculture at the University of Florence conducts research and performs higher education. (Economic Section). The scientific activity of the “Appraisal and Agricultural and Forestry Economic Section” focuses on the analysis of socioeconomic objectives, and its research areas include analysis of local resources, economic and accounting management of companies, agricultural and forest policy, the market, evaluations of private and public property values and territorial development planning.
www.gesaaf.unifi.it
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
The GESAAF is serponsible of the B6 action for socio economic aspects, with an evaluation of different management options for coppices; it will participate, furthermore, with the other partners in the monitoring of the impact of the project action.
• Roberto Fratini - Researcher; Action B6 responsible and member of the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Enrico Marone - Professor; deputy in the Steering Committee.
Università degli Studi di Sassari (UNISS)
Università degli Studi di Sassari (UNISS)
UNISS participates in the project with researchers of the Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources (DIPNET, www.uniss.it/dipnet) and of the Desertification Research Centre (NRD, www.uniss.it/nrd). DIPNET gathers researchers of several disciplines that share the same experimental and modelistic approach to the sciences for Nature. In the project, DIPNET researchers have specific expertise on conservation biology. NRD is a multidisciplinary research team aiming to promote studies and research on desertification, land degradation and sustainable land management. In the project NRD researchers have specific expertise on soil quality and dissemination.
www.uniss.it
In LIFE Future for Coppices:
UNISS is responsible of the action B4 . Participation in: A1, B2, B4, B7, B8, B9, C1, D2, E1
• Simonetta Bagella - Researcher; responsible of the action B4 and member of the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Giovanna Seddaiu - Researcher; deputy in the Steering Committee. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Pier Paolo Roggero - Full Professor. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Rosella Filigheddu - Full Professor. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.