Sweet chestnut cultures in the Southern Alps – conservation and regional development

Abstract

Sweet chestnut cultures are a major component of the vegetation in many large protected areas of the Southern Alps. Since Roman times, vast areas of Southern and Western Europe have been covered by groves and coppices of sweet chestnut trees (Castanea sativa MILL.). Having replaced the original broadleaved forest, they used to play a vital role in traditional agriculture. Chestnut cultivation was even more important in terms of producing a substitute for cereals (bread) than for the production of timber. With changing economic conditions and the onset of chestnut blight (caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica) in the 20 th century, chestnut cultivation lost almost all of its economic and cultural significance. In the last 20 years, there has been a renewed interest in preserving and replanting chestnuts. Today, this includes marketing strategies, landscape conservation and cultural history aspects. As chestnut cultivation is widespread, especially in the southern part of the Alps, its study provides links between landscape ecological research and sustainable development. This article describes different types of chestnut use and the characteristic landscapes thus generated as well as some aspects of biodiversity and landscape protection involved in the sustainable revaluation of that endogenous rural resource. The focus is on the role of the various actors, parks, regional planning, conservation and agricultural authorities as well as private organizations. 5