Forest planning at territory level: a methodological proposal

Abstract

Forest planning at territory level: a methodological proposal. This paper describes goals and methodolo- gies of the Land Plan for Forest and Natural Environment Management Guidance (PFTI) stemming from the Ri.Selv.Italia national project (within the “Forest Land Planning” 4.2 subproject). The PFTI geographic range of application is at an intermediate level between single forest-management-unit-level plan and regional fo- rest plans, and deals with forest and pastures resources management. PFTI’s main purposes concern forest resource and forest economy analysis and assessment of the benefits that can be provided to local population through a rational forest management, taking into account also the social structure and potential local con- flicts. PFTI’s final task is then to weigh up all these issues in order to give specific participated forest mana- gement guidelines at a territorial scale. Unlike the forest-management-unit-level plan, whose specific duties are predetermined and fixed, the PFTI is not necessarily a mandatory plan. On the opposite, PFTI should suggest several specific silviculture guidelines and alternative management scenarios.