SESSION 1

Silviculture, biodiversity, genetic resources,
protected areas, fauna
(Coordinators: Raffaello Giannini, Susanna Nocentini)

Biological diversity conservation is one of the most important goals of natural resource management. Many international conventions and protocols, ratified by the Italian Government, underline the urgent need to stop habitat destruction and the consequent loss of biodiversity.

At the scientific level, the focus is centered on studying the relationship between functionality, resilience, and forest ecosystem biodiversity, and on analyzing the impact of silviculture on forest biodiversity at different space and time scales. The role played by the genetic complex at the individual, population, and species level to ensure evolutionary adaptation to environmental changes is also being investigated.

At the operational level, the attention is on defining, planning, and forest management strategies in line with biological diversity, conservation, and economic and social sustainability, both inside and outside protected areas. Appropriate management of habitats housing rare or endangered animal species is relevant as well. At the same time, in many areas the complex relationship between forest ecosystem’s carrying capacity and wild ungulate population density is crucially relevant.

Italian forests are the result of the millenary coevolution between ecological and socioeconomic factors; this has produced a diversity which is important not only from a biological point of view, but also because it is rich in historical and cultural values. This session offers the opportunity to discuss the perspectives of silviculture, as an applied science able to combine biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of forest ecosystems.

 

Themes

1. Biodiversity

Forest ecosystems: functionality, resistance, resilience and stability

Biodiversity indicators and monitoring

Conservation and management of old growth forests and residual forests

Monumental tree protection

Forest plantations and biodiversity

Silviculture and biodiversity conservation

2. Genetic resources

Genetic variability, phylogeny and phylogeography

Germplasm conservation and use

Silviculture and genetic variability: extinction, fragmentation, erosion

3. Protected areas

Strict reserves and monitoring

Silviculture in protected areas

Nature 2000 network

Protected areas and local development

4. Fauna

Silviculture and animal species conservation

Wildlife impact on forest vitality and regeneration

Integrated management of forests and wildlife