Latitude (DMS): 37° 51' 10'' N
Longitude (DMS): 15° 17' 16'' E
First National Congress of Silviculture: Florence, 14-18 March 1954
After its foundation in 1951, the Italian Academy of Forest Sciences promoted
and organized the First National Congress of Silviculture.
The idea of organizing the Congress of Silviculture for the improvement and
conservation of Italian forests arose from two reasons: the first connected to
the disastrous conditions characterizing Italian forests and mountains after
the Second World War; the second related to the 500th anniversary of
the first reforms for the improvement and conservation of forests set out in
1453 by the Venetian Republic.
The aim of the Congress was to explore technical and scientific solutions to
solve the serious problems characterizing Italian forests, and to stimulate a
farsighted forest policy, able to favor and support the whole forestry sector
and the people living in mountain areas.
Second National Congress of Silviculture: Venice, 24-27 June 1998
The Second Congress, organized by the National Council for Forests and Wood,
the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Italian Academy of Forest
Science, with the collaboration of «Consulta Nazionale per le Foreste, il Legno e la Carta» and the «Fondazione San Giovanni Gualberto», was held in Venice in 1998 and was preceded by several preliminary
working days, organized in collaboration with the Italian Regions.
The aim of the Congress was: to spread knowledge on changes that had occurred
in Italian forests after more than 40 years from the first Congress; to explore
the emerging problems of silviculture and the actions for the improvement and
conservation of forest ecosystems, biodiversity and landscape. Briefly, to
define the role of silviculture in environment protection, wood production and
nature conservation. In this context, the Congress underlined the need to
follow the principles of sustainable management, to draw up a forest framework
law, to update the National Forest Inventory and to move towards a forest
policy able to improve the social, economic and cultural role of forests,
mountains and their communities.
Third National Congress of Silviculture: Taormina, 16-19 October 2008
Organized by the Italian Academy of Forest Sciences, the National Forest Service and the Sicilian Region, with the collaboration of «Consulta Nazionale per le
Foreste, il Legno e la Carta» and the «Fondazione San Giovanni Gualberto», the Third Congress aims at exploring the future of
Italian forests and silviculture, with particular reference to the Mediterranean
area. This Congress will analyze and discuss present and future silvicultural
issues with politicians, universities, research institutions and
non-governmental organizations. In particular, it will focus on the
functionality of forest ecosystems and on the role of silviculture for an
eco-compatible and cultural development of society. In this context, the
Congress will analyze silviculture perspectives for soil and water resource
conservation, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, air and
water purification, atmospheric carbon dioxide storage, wood and non-wood
production, forest product certification and wood chain, and landscape
protection. In summary, the Congress wishes to identify and spread what can be
defined as “the culture of the forest”. Results will represent recommendations
for local, regional, national and international policies.
