CONIFER AFFORESTATIONS IN ITALY: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WOOD ENERGY AND FOREST RESTORATION

The restoration of conifer plantations into stands with a more complex structure and composition is a current challenge for the Italian silviculture and an opportunity to provide wood energy. A silvicultural system aiming to the natural regeneration by means of canopy gaps (gap-based approach) has been applied in an experimental site in the Calabrian pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. laricio Poiret var. Calabrica Delamare) stands in the Calabrian Apennine initiated in 2003: small (380 m 2), medium (855 m 2 ) and large gaps (1520 m 2 ) were compared. The main results after 7 years show that the most appropriate gap sizes for regeneration of Calabrian pine (shade-intolerant species) are those of 1500 m 2 with a d/h of 2.0. While for late-successional species (silver fir and beech) gaps of 380 m 2 with a d/h of 1.0 or slightly larger are recommended. This allows the forest manager to choose whether to maintain the pine or initiate a restoration action with native forest vegetation. The interval between cuttings is 7 years. Whereas any intervention removes the 30% of the forest, the cycle is complete in about 20 years. In this case (stands normally thinned) at the time of the first cutting from 15 up to 70 m 3 per gap, or 140 m3 per hectare can be obtained. This gap-based approach is a sustainable silvicultural treatment because of low environmental and aesthetic impact and also meets objectives for timber production.