Institutional and Technical publications - Forestry and Wood

Cost Action FP1202 - Marginal and peripheral tree populations: a key genetic resource for European forests

Year of publication: 2017

Research centers: Forestry and Wood

Marginal/peripheral (MaP) forest populations are at the edges of species ranges and contain an original genetic diversity due to unsuitable conditions for survival. The effects of climate change are likely to be stronger and more rapid in MaP populations than elsewhere. Studying adaptive processes in MaP populations is crucial and of mutual interest for European and non-European countries for understanding the evolution of species and developing gene pool (FGR) conservation, management strategies and networks to cope with global change. These populations are not only threatened by modern climate changes but also by other disturbances arising from human activities and they may prove invaluable for adapting the European forestry sector. Because of their millennia-long history of adaptation to environmental changes, FGR growing in Europe may prove invaluable for adapting the forestry sector. These MaP populations are not only threatened by ongoing climate change but also by other disturbances arising from human activities.

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Forest Genetic Resources Management

Research centers: Forestry and Wood

The new National list of the Italian Forest Seed stand Network (EU Dir. 199/105/CE and Italian DLGS 386/2003)) is here reported by Region. A preliminary presentation of the database and of the previous national register (based on the 269/1973 law) with former codes and numbers of the former but still alive seed stand national core.

• Dlgs 386/2003 

Libri:  

• Linee guida AA. VV., (ed. F. Ducci), 2005. Linee Guida per il reperimento e l’impiego dei materiali forestali di base. C.R.A.-Ist. Sper. Selvicoltura, Arezzo (ISBN 88-901923-1-3), 2^ edition:128 p. 
• AA.VV. (F. Ducci ed.), 2007. Le risorse genetiche di farnia della Val Padana. Tutela e gestione., “Genetic resources of pedunculate oak in the Po valley), CRA – Istituto Sperimentale per la Selvicoltura, Arezzo (ISBN 978-88-901923-2-6): 143 p. 
• Ducci F., De Rogatis A., (editors) 2009 – 2010. Risorse Genetiche Forestali in Italia. Ed.CRA - SEL, Arezzo, ltalia (ISBN: 978-88-9019233-3): 180 p. (printed copy available on demand) 
• Ducci F., Tito Reale T., Vitiello A. (eds.), 2013. Linee guida per la Vivaistica Forestale in Molise. (Guidelines for the Nursery system end Forest Reproductive Material in Molise”. Regione Molise, Assessorato alle Politiche Agricole, Forestali ed Ittiche. Servizio Valorizzazione e Tutela della Montagna e delle Foreste. Ufficio Ricerche e Promozione delle Produzioni Forestali – Campobasso, Italia: 134 p. (ISBN 978-88-901923-5-7). 

Italian hybrid poplar clones with greater environmental sustainability

Year of publication: 2023

Poplar cultivation in Italy and many other countries is widely based on the use of the P. ×canadensis clone ‘I- 214’, which is characterized by great adaptability to different climate and soil conditions, ideal wood characteristics for the manufacture of plywood panels (light weight, colour) but also by susceptibility to a few biotic threats (woolly aphid, rusts, Marssonina leaf spot).

The availability of new clones selected by the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) offering greater environmental sustainability (Maggiore Sostenibilità Ambientale in Italian, thus referred to as MSA clones) characterized by better resistance to the main biotic adversities, has aroused high interest and makes it possible to develop cultivation models that, by minimizing cultural practice and disease and pest control interventions, allow for more environmentally sustainable poplar cultivation. The process of wood peeling for these MSA clones is substantially identical to that for ‘I-214’, even if their technological characteristics may require the industry to adjust its processing methods.

The information sheets of the MSA poplar clones are shown in this document. For comparison, the technical sheet of ‘I-214’ is also reported, though not belonging to the MSA group.

The same sheets in Italian language are shown as attachement in the document: “ Linee di Indirizzo per una pioppicoltura sostenibile” available in this area.

RESILFOR (REstoring SILver-fir FORest), LIFE08 NAT /IT/00037

Year of publication: 2016

Research centers: Forestry and Wood

The forests vegetating in the Apennine area, are the result of expansion and shrinking processes due to climate dynamics which have occurred over millennia and centuries. As far as many tree species are concerned, the Italian Apennine mountains have turned out to be a place of refuge after the succession of glacial and post-glacial periods. The silver fir, a conifer tree, which has seen a significant expansion in the period following the last ice age, has recorded, in recent times, a greater regression of its distribution area due to several factors, including a selective intervention by man and the atmospheric humidity reduction. The human factor then, has undoubtedly been the main cause of this species extensive reduction, even though the climate change is the basis of a reduced ability of this species to naturally invade the forests with the vegetative regeneration. These two factors have led to a growing scarcity of the species that has been preserved in its original characteristics in those locations where the climate freshness along with the human conservative activity have allowed its preservation. Forecasts which can now be given about the future climatic characteristics are not foreseeing any improvement whatsoever, on the contrary, this species can find itself in real danger of regression, due to the climate change of the next decades. If forecasts will come true, the isotherms will grow up at about 11 meters of altitude and 2-3 kilometers of latitude per year. This will lead, within the next 20 years, to optimal thermal conditions for this species, the altitude of which ranges from 800 and 900 meters above sea level, found in the range of phytoclimatic Castanetum cold-Fagetum, at altitudes higher than 200 meters, or between 1100 and 1200 metres above sea level. 

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Software to evaluate poplar stands

Software to evaluate poplar stands

Technical guidelines for silvicultural management in chestnut orchards

Year of publication: 2018

Research centers: Forestry and Wood

Guidelines are a tool to support the traditional chestnut fruit cultivation for forest owners, technicians and stakeholders, offering opportunities to enhance the production and generate income without giving up the other multiple functions and secondary productions offered by the chestnut orchard. 

The volume is divided in two parts. The first part contains the information necessary to provide elements for a full understanding and implementation of the silvicultural techniques. The second part describes the technical guidelines (with regard to pruning, grafting and soil fertility management) for a rational management of traditional chestnut orchards and then two different cultivation systems are shown for farms at low and high management intensity.

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Precision Forestry

Year of publication: 2017

Research centers: Forestry and Wood

On 7 November 2017, a workshop was held at the CREA Research Centre for Forestry and Wood in Arezzo on the theme "Precision Forestry: perspectives and applications to support the implementation of the national forestry strategy and rural development policies", organized as part of the activities of the National Rural Network 2014-2020. The objective was to highlight the progress of technological research in the forestry sector and encourage a path of innovation in the sector.

1. Precision Forestry: a tool to support rural development policies for competitiveness and innovation

2. Precision forestry: conceptual references, tools and prospects for diffusion in Italy