New approaches concerning forest restoration in a protected area of central Italy: an introduction

Abstract

Following a review of the traditional afforestation techniques in Italy, the new forest restoration criteria and techniques require creativity with a solid scientific knowledge and further aims need to be pursued to maintain or enhance biodiversity and repair ecosystem functions. A case study concerning forest restoration of abandoned agricultural land in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park (central Italy) was analysed. The choice of native tree species was carried out according to the symphytosociological approach; the restoration of vegetation may be accelerated by planting early successional tree species belonging to the same series of vegetation. The cultural techniques included the partial release of shrub vegetation invading abandoned land, and site preparation techniques of low environmental impact (i.e. clustered arrangement, curved rows) applied according to soil morphology. Five years after planting, damage by animals, survival rates, vitality status and total height of different tree species, and effects of competition by shrub vegetation on tree growth were assessed.