Motta et al. 2017

Restoration and Sustainable Management of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Stored Coppices in North Western Italy

1. Restora(on and Sustainable Management of
Beech (Fagus sylva*ca L.) Stored Coppices in
North Western Italy


Renzo MoCa
1
, Roberta Berre+
1
, Pierpaolo
Brenta
2
, Fabio Meloni
1
, Antonio Nosenzo
1
, Pier
Giorgio Terzuolo
2
, Giorgio Vacchiano
1


1
Dip. Disafa, Università degli studi di Torino, Largo Paolo
Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), E-mail:
[email protected]
2
IsUtuto per le piante da legno e l'ambiente - IPLA S.p.A.
C.so Casale 476, 10132 Torino

2. 1) Why restora(on? A conceptual
framework…
2) Beech forests in Italy
3) Past and present management
and dynamics
4) New rules and new
management approach
5) Discussion
Outline

3. 1) Why restora(on? A conceptual framework…
3) The goals of forest restora(on are:
- to restore ecosystem func*ons and recover many components of the
original biodiversity (Chadzon, 2008)
- but the restora(on has to take into account historical, ecological
and sociopoli*cal contexts (Stanturf, 2005)
- and the restora(on has to lasts in (mes as a result of an ecological
equilibrium (out of reach…) or a human sustainable land-use

1) The forest that requires restora(on has been degraded, damaged,
transformed or en(rely destroyed as the direct or indirect result of
human ac(vi(es...
2) FAO has defined forest degrada(on as: “Changes within a
forest that affect the structure and func*on of the stand or site
and thereby lower its capacity to supply products or services.”

4. 1) Why restora(on? A conceptual framework…
The hidden and neglected face of the “restora(on”: the long-term
sustainability (where we are, what stage of the succession can be
realisUcally aRained, what are the expected dynamics, in which way the
restoraUon can be maintained in the long term).

5. 62,5%
65,8%
41,5%
64,2%
11,3%
7,9%
8,3%
11,3%
19,3%
72,5%
68,3%
65,3%
46,2%
41,8%
26,3%
67,3%
77,6%
55,1%
Coppice > high forest
High forest> coppice
Beech forests cover more
than 1 million ha in Italy
(9.5% total forest cover)
Actually 46% of the beech
stands is coppiced
(differences between ord and
south and at the regional
level)

Beech has a low ability to
resprout so for this species
the coppice is not an efficient
management
2) Beech stands in Italy and in Piedmont

6. 2) Beech stands in Italy and in Piedmont


ü Beech stands in Piedmont cover 135.770
ha, 15,8% of the regional forest cover
ü 48% public ownership
ü 90% of wood assortment is fuelwood
ü At the beginning of the 20° century almost
100% of the beech in Piedmont was
coppiced (selec(on coppice and sheltered
coppice)
ü Beech has low resprou(ng capacity!

7. At the beginning of the 21° century (Ipla 2002): about 60% of the beech stands in
Piedmont is coppiced of which:
ü Coppices younger than 25 years 12,4 %
ü Coppices having 25-35 years 48,3 %
ü Coppices older than 35 years 39,3 %



Why?
ü Strong depopulaUon of montane
and rural areas
ü Fuelwood and wood charcoal are
not as important as they were in
the past (fossil fuels etc)
ü The rotaUons have been elongated
ü Strong increment of the stored
(beyond the rotaUon agege) or
neglected (no acUve management)
coppices (neglected)
3) Past and present management…

8. Research on resprou(ng and
mortality of the stools.
24 sites, different forest types,
age and site index (Ipla 2002)
4) New rules and management…

9. 1) Age
ü <40 anni >70% of the stools resprout
ü 40-50 years 55% of the stools resprout
ü > 50 years < 50% of the stools resprout
3) Site index
ü The ability of resprouUng is higher in the most ferUle sites (in the most ferUle
forest type > 90% of the stools resprout irrespecUve of their age)
What are the most importan factors that affect resprou(ng in
beech? What is the sustainable “age range” for beech coppicing?
4) At least one shoot is leg on the stool
ü 82% of the stools with a shoot that has been leg resprout irrespecUve of their
age
2) Size of the shoots
ü 80% of the stools with shoots > 40 cm
diameter don’t resprout
4) New rules and management…
VegetaUve regeneraUon of beech
coppices for biomass in Piedmont,
NW Italy. Vacchiano et al, submiRed
Generalized Linear Mixed Models of the
probability of sprouUng and height of the tallest
resprout for each stool as a funcUon of
elevaUon, slope, aspect, bedrock, precipitaUon,
temperature, age at coppicing, Ume since
coppicing, residual shoot density, the sum,
average and coefficient of variaUon of the
diameter of cut shoots, and type of stool
treatment.

10. 2009-2011 New forest law and new silvicultural
prescrip(ons
The forest originated from
resprouUng that are older than 40
years (stored coppices) are, from
the legal and from the
management point of view treated
as equivalent to high forests
(cannot be coppiced).
All the coppices that are older
than 40 years are assimilated high
forests
Scenario 2015-2025 (Ipla 2006):

ü 50% of beech stands are managed
ü 7% (about 10.000 ha) are, and will be
in the next 10-15 years, coppices
ü About 40% of beech forests are
ac(vely managed and were originated
from resprout of a stool but now are
not yet coppiced (> 40 years old)
4) New rules and management…

11. 4) New rules and management…
Stored coppice
coppicing
Tradi(onal
conversion to
high forest
Irregular
management
too long (decades) and not
economically sustainable

12. 4) New rules and management…

13. Oropa, Piedmont,
NW Italy. Beech
stand that has
been coppiced for
centuries (short
rota(ons)
Pollino NP, Basilicata,
South Italy
Beeech stand that has
been coppiced the first
(me less than one
century ago
Importance of the reten(on!!!
While the past management was
concentrated on extracting products from
the forest, the present one emphasizes what
is being left ….. (Kohm, Franklin, 1997)
4) New rules and management…
To restore ecosystem func*ons and
recover many components of the original
biodiversity (Chadzon, 2008)

14. Current constraints:

- Poor quality of present stands (wood assortments);
- LiCle or no payment differences in poor (fuelwood) and quality
((mber) wood assortment ;
- Extension, qualifica(on and training of forest managers and
workers;
- Payment of ecosystem services.
5) Discussion

15. Posi(ve points:

- High current biomass (> 300 m
3
ha
-1
);
- Public ownership, massive land-holdings;
- Cascade use of the wood (EU policy);
- Increment of the carbon stocks (carbon credits);
- Flexibility in the management;
- Natura 2000 (habitat trees, CWD, reten(on).
5) Discussion

16. ü Resprou(ng is a natural way for some trees
to regenerate
ü Scien(fically based non ideological
approach (e.g. coppice vs high forest)
ü Biodiversity
ü Protec(on and ecosystem services
ü Impact of the climate change
5) Discussion

17. 5) Discussion
Thank you for the aCen(on…