Classic silviculture, local knowledge and systemic silviculture

Abstract

Starting from point 8 of the Manifesto for Systemic silviculture and from an analysis of the basic principles of classic silvicultural systems, this paper examines the relationship between traditional silvicultural approaches based on local knowledge, and some of the fundamental principles of systemic silviculture.Based on the Italian forestry literature, classical silvicultural methods usually prescribed for beech forests and Calabrian pine forests in Southern Italy are described. These silvicultural methods have only rarely been applied in real management, which has more often applied methods developed local according to traditional knowledge. Recently, increasing scientific data has demonstrated that these traditional systems are able to integrate knowledge accrued over time with sustainable criteria, in line with one of the basic principles of systemic silviculture.