FAGUS - Forests of the Apennines: Good practices to conjugate use and sustainability
LIFE11 NAT/IT/000135
Object
Techniques for the achievement of different types of dead wood, both standing and on the ground.
PROJECT REFERENT
Di Santo Daniele
WEBSITE
Objective
To increase the structural and compositional diversification of the woods, with a positive impact on biodiversity related to dead wood (in particular: beetles, saproxylic fungi and birds), through the leaving of standing dead trees, broken stems on the ground, standing, uprooted trees, and hanging dead trees.
Good Practice Description
The good practice entails the selection of some large trees (diameter at 1.30m > 50 cm), mainly beech trees, near some openings, excluding areas already characterised by significant quantities of dead wood at different degrees of decay. Once selected, the treess must be clearly marked in the forest and georeferenced, then treated with specific techniques to become according to the case: standing dead trees, snags, uprooted trees, and leaning dead trees.
The techniques are quite simple but require expert and competent workers, specific equipment, and training, and, as always, particular attention to safety rules.
Territorial Context
The good practice has been implemented in the Apennine beech forests in the Cilento (SA) and Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Parks. These are typically mountainous and foothill areas, characterised by the presence of small, inhabited centres, and by a general delay in the development of the infrastructural system.
Replicability conditions
The techniques for the creation of various types of dead wood, standing and on the ground, are applicable wherever there are similar objectives and conditions. However, they need skilled workers, which shall be properly trained and equipped.
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, including the Layman's report in the technical manual entitled: "Manual of good practices for the management of habitats 9210* and 9220*", especially the actions C.5-C.6.