Silvicultural Interventions for the Improvement of Simplified Forests and the Enhancement of Biodiversity
Published 2026-06-08
Keywords
- forest management,
- forest resilience,
- nature restoration law
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2026 Davide Travaglini, Marco Borghetti, Gianluca Piovesan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Forest degradation and biodiversity loss represent a risk to global ecological and economic stability. In Italy, many forests have been simplified due to past management practices, within a European context characterized by habitats often in unfavorable conservation status. This paper examines silvicultural guidelines aimed at improving simplified forests and the enhancement of biodiversity, with the objective of providing practical insights for the implementation of EU Regulation 2024/1991 in Italy. The analysis outlines methodological approaches categorized into active and passive management strategies. Active strategies emphasize the promotion of natural regeneration, the increase of structural and temporal stand complexity, and the maintenance of adequate levels of growing stock. Particular attention is given to the retention of coarse woody debris and habitat trees to support forest biodiversity. Regarding passive management strategies, the protection of natural dynamics (rewilding) in protected areas and the safeguarding of old-growth forests are promoted. The integration of these strategies, supported by multi-level governance, is essential for enhancing ecosystem resilience and achieve the EU's climate and environmental goals.
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