The problems and the future of forestry statistics in Italy. A framework of the ISTAT survey in the National Statistical Programme 2017-2019

Abstract

The availability of information about the quantity and quality of forest resources is a crucial point in forest management and policy planning. The ownership of statistical investigations on forests have belonged for a long time to ISTAT, which is part of the National Statistical System. In time, other surveyors have been added to the system and, as a consequence, some investigations have been suspended or merged. The investigation concerning the logged area and the quantity of wood was one of the most important forestry statistics. It was made on a regional basis but, being based on administrative data, its accuracy has decreased because of different problems such as the undervaluation of logging and the decline of the response rate. This work is a contribution to this aspect and a further clarification of the role of forestry statistics in the next National Statistical Programme 2017-2019.