Basic knowledge for forest restoration: the Pomieri forest case study (Madonie regional park, Sicily)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a case study of forest restoration in the Pomieri Wood area (Madonie regional park, Sicily), consisting of a relict population of sessile oak (Quercus petraea subsp. austrothyrrenica Brullo, Guarino & Siracusa). To assess the functionality of the stand some biological indicators were taken into consideration: dendrometric-structural, floristic-vegetation, ecological, fructification, natural regeneration, disturbances. They reveal a state of degradation after a long period of overexploitation of resources. Forest restoration would lead to the regaining of the cultural value of the Pomieri wood by management authorities and local populations. Then a series of measures are to be carried out providing for the removal of degradation factors (grazing, illegal cuttings) and restoring stand density, biodiversity and ecological functionality

A first contribution to the cryptogamic flora of “Bosco Pomieri” (Northern Sicily)

“…In particular, the prevalence of aemerobous or mesoemerobous species, as well as the high incidence of pluriennial species, suggests that in the Bosco Pomieri the microhabitats in which bryophytes live are on the whole in a good conservation status. Similarly, the scarce presence of nitrophilous species leads us to think that bryophytes suffer little from disturbing factors such as grazing, which instead, from a study conducted by Bagnato & al. (2012) appears to exert a high impact on the vascular component.…”

“…The "Bosco Pomieri" is a mixed oak wood ( Fig. 1), whose last forest uses date back to about 1950 (Bagnato & al. 2012), characterized by the presence of a number of old trees of Quercus petraea subsp.…”

“…In the forest of Pomieri the mortality of trees is on average of 8.1% and it is mainly caused by competition among the different plants, meteorological damages (wind, snow) and by the presence of pathogenic fungi, i.e. Fomes fomentarius (L.) J.J. Kickx (Bagnato & al. 2012).…”

Structural and dendroecological analysis of Quercus petraea subsp. austrothyrrenica Brullo, Guarino & Siracusa in the Madonie Natural Park (Sicily)

“…Condizione confermata anche dai valori dei parametri dendrometrici (area basimetrica, volume, ecc.) (Bagnato et al, 2012). Dall'analisi dei principali parametri dendrometrici del popolamento analizzato (Tab.…”