Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 28/Aug 00:07

Italy adopts a forward-looking forest management standard

As forests in Italy change, a revised standard is needed to respond to new challenges and opportunities to support innovative sustainable forest management, enhancing the importance of forests to society. The new standard will come into force on 1 December 2024. Source: Timberbiz Forests throughout Italy have been expanding in recent years and now cover more than 11 million hectares, about one third of the total land area. However, this expansion has been driven by land being abandoned rather than planned management. The result is a decline in timber harvesting and rising imports. Along with growing public interest in the many benefits of well-managed forests, these changes called for the FSC Forest Stewardship Standard for Italy, first adopted in 2017, to be revised. The process started in September 2021 with a thorough analysis of the current standard. Stakeholders, including certificate holders, experts, NGOs, researchers, and foresters met monthly to draw up a draft. Two public consultations were then followed by two field tests to evaluate the indicators of the revised standard. These indicators address issues such as forest management, High Conservation Values, and customary rights of local communities, and can be applied to all types of forests and plantations. The revision of the standard was characterized by a participatory process with members, experts, and other stakeholders. This allowed us to collect as many inputs as possible and translate them into effective actions, responding to challenges and opportunities from the sector. Other changes in the revised document relate to updates of relevant national legislation covering, for example, International Labour Organization guidelines for workers in forest management, and specific management recommendations for cork oak forests, poplar plantations, agroforestry systems and non-timber forest products. In addition, the new standard includes indicators for high-altitude forests and coppices, along with a guide for the identification and protection of High Conservation Value areas. “Italian forests are important for their biodiversity, timber resources, ecosystem services, and the rich human history and local traditions they encompass,” said Ilaria Dalla Vecchia, Coordinator of the Standard Development Group. “Over the centuries, they have played a crucial role in supporting the survival and prosperity of local economies and communities in mountainous and rural areas. “The revised Italian Forest Stewardship Standard will promote, disseminate, and support innovative sustainable forest management, enhancing the multifunctional role of forests and their importance to society.”