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iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry
IntroductionBeech forests (Fagus sylvatica L.) characterise the landscape of many mountain areas in Italy, from the Alps down to the southern regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily in the Mediterranean area (Fig. 1). According to the National Forest Inventory (INFC 2005), the total area covered by beech in Italy is 1 042 129 hectares, which corresponds to 9.4% of the country's total forest area. This area includes 1 035 103 ha of beech forests and 7 023 ha of "other wooded land" (according to the FRA2000 definitionTab. 1).Over the centuries wood from beech forests, mainly for firewood and charcoal as well as timber for building and furniture, has been a fundamental resource for people living in mountain areas. Thus intensive use has significantly the modified distribution, composition and structure of beech stands all over the country.Economic and social changes in the last decades have brought about changes in the forestry sector in Italy, which, in turn, have impacted forests and forest management. Beech forests have not been immune to these changes and in some ways represent an interesting case study on the changing perspectives of forest management in the face of changing environmental and socio economic conditions. This paper analyses the relationship between stand structure and the management history of beech forests in Italy. The aim is to outline possible strategies for the sustainable management of these forest formations.
Distribution of beech forests in ItalyBeech forests are present in all the regions except for Sardinia (Tab. 1). In the Alps, beech generally forms pure stands above 1000 m altitude in areas with relatively low rainfall, while it grows at around 600-700 m in more humid areas.On the Apennine mountains beech usually grows above 900-1000 m. Beech forests are more widespread on the northern slopes and where rain and fog maintain moist air conditions. On the sunnier and warmer southern slopes, the lower vegetation limit for beech tends to move higher (Hofmann 1991, Pignatti 1998 Beech forests characterise the landscape of many mountain areas in Italy, from the Alps to the southern regions. This paper analyses the relationship between stand structure and the management history of beech in Italy. The aim is to outline possible strategies for the sustainable management of these forest formations. The present structure of beech forests in Italy is the result of many interacting factors. According to the National Forest Inventory, more than half the total area covered by beech has a long history of coppicing. High forests cover 34% of the total beech area and 13% have complex structures which have not been classified in regular types. Coppices are very widespread mainly because of the past, but also present importance of firewood and charcoal for mountain populations. A particular type of beech coppice, the selection coppice (or uneven aged coppice), was traditional in Tuscany and in some alpine areas. Starting from the fifties, following th...