Emergenze vegetali dell'Isola di Lampedusa

Per la peculiarit\ue0 storica, geografica ed ambientale l\u2019Isola di Lampedusa, e vista l\u2019estrema frammentariet\ue0 delle formazioni preforestali, l\u2019esiguit\ue0 dei popolamenti (e degli individui) delle specie legnose assumono un valore scientifico e conservazionistico particolarmente elevato. Per queste ragioni \ue8 stato fatto un censimento eseguito con strumentazione GPS. Sull\u2019isola crescono diverse specie di rilevante interesse conservazionistico, numerose sono infatti le specie endemiche, esclusive, rare e/o a rischio di estinzione perch\ue9 legate a habitat molto vulnerabili e localizzati. A questa ragione d\u2019interesse generale per questi taxa si somma il fatto che buona parte delle specie arboree tipiche della vegetazione primaria dell\u2019isola, il pi\uf9 delle volte sopravvivono localmente con popolamenti costituiti da pochissimi (e talora singoli!) individui. Juniperus turbinata e Olea europaea var. sylvestris sono le due specie forestali di gran lunga pi\uf9 comuni tra quelle indagate . Meno positivo \ue8 il risultato dell\u2019analisi della rinnovazione, che ha permesso di individuare appena una trentina di giovani individui di ginepro e nessuno di olivastro. La presenza delle due specie sull\u2019isola risulta circoscritta esclusivamente ai valloni stretti ed incisi che sboccano sulla costa meridionale dell\u2019isola, disegnando un complesso sistema in cui si alternano profonde insenature e pendii rocciosi subpianeggianti. Per ambedue le specie si \ue8 registrata una netta prevalenza (ca. 80% dei ginepri e ca. 95% degli olivastri!) in corrispondenza delle esposizioni meridionali dell\u2019isola che, sebbene pi\uf9 soleggiate godono dell\u2019effetto benefico dei venti umidi provenienti da meridione

Project LIFE11 ENV/IT/0002215 ResilForMed - Resilience of Mediterranean Forests to Climate Change

Forest and pre-forest ecosystems of Sicily are characterized by a high structural simplification and fragility, reduced species diversity, high density, pest and diseases that are expected to worsen according to the ongoing anthropogenic climate change. In this work we present the achievements of the project LIFE ResilForMed (Resilience of Mediterranean Forests to climate change), as Sicilian response on adaptation and mitigation to climate change. ResilForMed project is co-funded by the LIFE Initiative (2007-2014) and started June 1st 2012 with an expected conclusion on June 30th 2017. The project consortium involves: (i) the Department of Rural and Land Development of the Sicilian Region, (ii) the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences of University of Palermo, the D.R.E.Am Italia and the Forest Service of the Sicilian Region. The key results of the project are: (1) map of Sensitivity forest areas to desertification of Sicily; (2) list of bird indicators showing sensitivity to desertification in Sicily; (3) set of indicators aimed to assess the resilience of Mediterranean forests to climate changes; (4) list of sporadic and endemic tree species of Sicilian forests; (5) development of five forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) suitable to improve or consolidate the resilience of Sicilian forest ecosystems; (6) implementation of BMPs in a set of forest interventions on 120 hectares of forest areas in Sicily as a showcase; (7) development of 6 Pilot Forest Plans with participatory approach for the actual implementation of a resilience based forest management; (8) training of the regional forest service personnel, seminars and info days for key regional stakeholders; (9) transfer of project results into the new Regional Forest Plan is the most important and straightforward action currently under implementation. The monitoring protocols and approaches, the guidelines and planning methods defined by the project will became part of the new Regional Forest Plan. ResilForMed is at the forefront of developing knowhow and transferable best management practices that may help Mediterranean forests to adapt to climate change and thereby safeguard their multifunctional benefits for future generations

Sensitivity to desertification risk of Sicilian forests

Sicilian forests can be considered at high decay risk because of more and more frequent wildfires and, even more, because of climate change effects, like floods, draught, heat waves, snow and wind storms. They are worrying processes, contributing at making ecosystems weaker and intensifying the potential desertification risk in Sicily, one of the most threatened of Italian regions by this form of soil degradation. The most effective approach to mitigate the effects of the climate change has been developed through the following action: cartographic identification, on a regional and landscape scale, of the forest areas subject to desertification risk

Training activities

We have implemented a training program addressed to the forestry experts of the Sicilian Region Rural and Territorial Development Department, to the students of the Forestry and Environmental Sciences at the University of Palermo, to the professionals members of the Forestry and Agronomy Doctors Association, to all those interested and working in the forestry field in Sicily. All these activities aimed at improving the whole system capacity to manage forests in order to apply the sylvicoltural good practices developed by the project. During the project last two years, 500 experts and 200 forestry sciences students have been trained. The training activities have been focused on the sylvicoltural intervention types (implementation of the forest resilience assessment chart) taking into consideration the ecological features influencing the forest

Analysis, assessment and quantification of the climate changes impact: the resilience silvicultural indicators

Sicilian forests can be considered at high decay risk because of more and more frequent wildfires and, even more, because of climate change effects, like floods, draught, heat waves, snow and wind storms. They are worrying processes, contributing at making ecosystems weaker and intensifying the potential desertification risk in Sicily, one of the most threatened of Italian regions by this form of soil degradation. The most effective approach to mitigate the effects of the climate change has been developed through the following action: analysis, assessment and quantification of the climate change impact: the silvicoltural resilience indicators

Sensitivity to desertification risk of Sicilian forests

Sicilian forests can be considered at high decay risk because of more and more frequent wildfires and, even more, because of climate change effects, like floods, draught, heat waves, snow and wind storms. They are worrying processes, contributing at making ecosystems weaker and intensifying the potential desertification risk in Sicily, one of the most threatened of Italian regions by this form of soil degradation. The most effective approach to mitigate the effects of the climate change has been developed through the following action: cartographic identification, on a regional and landscape scale, of the forest areas subject to desertification risk