SelPiBioLife - Innovative silviculture to improve biodiversity of soils in artificial stands of black pine
LIFE13 BIO/IT/000282
Object
The "Marteloscope" is an area dedicated to the training of forestry technicians and students where they can practice selecting the plants to be felled (through the instrument of the ‘forest hammer’) and learn about the theoretical consequences of their choices through rapid computerized processing.
Objective
To create an educational area for guided exercises on any type of intervention relating to pine forests in the juvenile phase, and in particular on the comparison between the traditional method of thinning from below and the innovative method of selective thinning, in order to learn the different methods of intervention and highlight the differences in terms of productive, protective and biodiversity functions.
Good Practice Description
The SelPiBioLIFE marteloscopes are composed of three types of areas close to each other: the actual marteloscope, 2 demonstration areas, and 2 representative areas. In the demonstration areas (3 ha each and characterised by irregular shape) the selection was performed respectively for the thinning from below and for the selective thinning, and the cuts were actually carried out. In the representative areas, however, the plants to be felled and the candidate plants (the latter only for selective thinning) were only marked.
The actual marteloscope has a rectangular shape and has an extension of 0,3 ha, inside it, each plant is numbered, georeferenced and the main dendrometric parameters have been detected.
Participants, usually in small teams, are given straps with stretches of two different colours to distinguish the candidates from the plants to be cut down and a list of the plants present in the area in which to mark the final choices.
The selection list's data will then be entered into the software to observe the effects of the interventions. The choices of each team are evaluated and commented together with experts.
Territorial Context
The marteloscopes and related demonstrative and representative areas, were built in artificial Austrian pine forests in Monte Amiata (SI) and in Pratomagno (AR).
Replicability conditions
The implementation of the marteloscopes can be done anywhere, even if it is a practice that requires specialized personnel and technical instruments. It is also important to be able to predict the maintenance of the area over time and periodic measurements. The organization and management of training activities require competent and trained staff on the specific type of intervention.
Dissemination material
From the LIFE GoProFor database, in the final part of the sheet, it is possible to download some material relating to the project, useful to replicate the marteloscopes, including Giada Lazzarini's thesis which describes the construction procedures, and the technical manual dedicated to the practice of "Selective thinning".