About

L’Italia Forestale e Montana / Italian Journal of Forest and Mountain Environments is a peer-reviewed scientific Journal published by the Italian Academy of Forest Science dealing with all aspects of forest and environmental sciences, policy, economics with a focus on Mediterranean and mountain environments. Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, including connections with history, sociology and geography. A special Section of the Journal is dedicated to Forest and Environmental Law.  

The Journal was founded in 1946, and since 2006 is fully available open access on-line. The Journal publishes accepted articles online 4 times a year. A paper version of the Journal is sent to subscribers.

ISSN: 2036-3494 (online) | 0021-2776 (print)

Italian Journal of Forest and Mountain Environments is a Diamond Open Access Journal     

 

Current IssueVol 81, No 2s (2026): Conference Proceedings Old-Growth Forests and Ancient Trees: A Treasure of Nature, Life and Culture, Firenze 1 October 2025 / Vallombrosa 2-3 October 2025

Published October 6, 2026

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Table of Contents

Editorials

Preface
Raffaele Manicone
3-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1280
Introduction
Susanna Nocentini
7-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1281
Ethics and spirituality of old-growth forests ten years after Laudato si’
Fabio Baggio
9-14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1245
Conclusions
Fabrizio Parrulli
311-314
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1279

Articles

Ancient forests in the Marche region: an unexpected occurrence
Carlo Urbinati, Giovanni Pelino, Simone Fabbri, Gioia Morelli, Gianmarco Braconi, Giulio Ciccalé, Brunella Luciani, Stefania Ramazzotti, ASlessandro Vitali, Fabio Gennaretti
65-79
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1244
Monumental trees of the Marche Region: monitoring, stability assessment and management guidelines
Gianmarco Braconi, Tommaso Spilli, Alessandro Vitali, Fabio Gennaretti, Sergio Murolo, Carlo Urbinati
80-93
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1227
An allometric-functional approach to studying the ecological complexity of old-growth forests
Tommaso Anfodillo, Gaia Pasqualotto, Marco Carrer, Amos Maritan
105-117
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1214
Integrating Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Inventories to Map and Validate Old-Growthness across Italian Forests
Costanza Borghi, Francesco Solano, Giovanni D'Amico, Titomanlio Pepe, Mattia Niccoli, Elia Vangi, Francesco Parisi, Davide Travaglini, Giuseppe Modica, Giancarlo Papitto, Gianluca Piovesan, Gherardo Chirici
118-139
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1250
Th e role of strict nature reserves in mitigating the eff ects of climate change
Francesco Solano, Giovanni Quilghini, Giuseppe Modica
140-157
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1215
Understanding the stand mosaic of primeval forests as a basis for close-tonature forest management: lessons from the Rajhenav virgin forest in the Dinaric mountains
Andrej Bončina
158-165
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1240

Reviews

Ancient trees and the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage
David Lindenmayer
15-18
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1217
Reimagining the way we care for our Planet: advancing biodiversity conservation through the hopeful vision of Laudato si’ and Half-Earth
Paula J. Ehrlich
19-25
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1228
From conservation to management: lessons from old-growth forests
Susanna Nocentini
26-39
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1246
Saving space for the long now: old-growth forests and ancient trees in the Anthropocene
Charles H. Cannon
40-49
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1260
Lichen biodiversity in old-growth forests and on veteran trees: an overview with a focus on Italian forests
Juri Nascimbene
54-60
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1248
The oldest trees of the Mediterranean
Jan Esper, Gianluca Piovesan, Marco Carrer, Max C.A. Torbenson, Ulf Büntgen
97-104
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1249
Humans, Forests and Climate Change in the Central Mediterranean
Laura Sadori, Gianluca Piovesan
166-176
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1269
Old-Growth Forests of the Pollino National Park: Biodiversity, Structural Complexity, and Adaptive Conservation – The ‘Old Growth For. Pollino’ Project
Francesco Ripullone, Vittoria Marchianò, Danilo Travascia, Liliana Bernardo, Maurizio Biondi, Marco Borghetti, Michele Colangelo, Salvatore Digilio, Domenico Gargano, Emanuele Giuzio, Adriana Guma, Mattia Iannella, Francesco Iovino, Antonio Lapolla, Nicodemo Passalacqua, Cristina Potenza, Giovanna Potenza, Aldo Schettino, Rosalba Rotondaro, Pierpaolo Storino, Salvatore Urso, Gianluca Piovesan
177-189
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1259
Old-growth beech forests - Joint Natural Heritage of Europe
Hans Dieter Knapp
190-202
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1235
Safeguarding old-growth and primary forests: protection and forest landscape restoration to deliver Europe’s 30×30 commitments
Anique Hillbrand
206-215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1224
Ecophysiological and ecosystem processes in old-growth forests
Roberto Tognetti
222-240
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1206
Sacred forests in space and time: Intangible Cultural Heritage and naturebased solutions
Shonil Bhagwat
249-257
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1254
Ancient forests and old-growth trees: the various intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values supporting forest protection and restoration
Lorenzo Ciccarese
262-273
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1231
Trees, environmental protection, and Judaism
Aldo Winkler
274-285
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1199
Cult, protection, and use of forest heritage in Italy during the first millennium BC
Gabriele Cifani
290-296
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1247
Integral ecology and old-growth forests: a reading in the light of Laudato si’
Lamberto Iezzi
297-309
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1251

Extended abstracts

Disturbances during old-growth development: lessons for silviculture and restoration
Klaus J. Puettmann, Andrew Merschel, Elizabeth Swanson
216-221
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1229
Old-growth forests and mature trees as a conservation tool for forest birds
Mauro Bernoni
241-243
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1230

Technical notes

Th e national network of old-growth forests
Alessandra Stefani
61-64
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1239
The role of the MASAF Forestry Directorate in the creation of the national network of old-growth forests
Alessandro Cerofolini
94-96
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1198
The Sasso Fratino Integral Nature Reserve, an example of nature conservation
Paola Ciampelli
203-205
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1233

Forest Culture and Perspectives

One Health, ForestEcosystems and Human Health
Francesco Dentali, Dario Manfellotto, Maria Gabriella Coppola
50-53
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1234
Th e Resilient Trees project: old-growth forests and veteran trees for biodiversity and resilient landscapes
Livia Zapponi, Nuno de Almeida Ribeiro, Guilherme Antunes Santos, Eduard Apfel, Martin Bílý, Gediminas Brazaitis, Constança Camilo-Alves, Lorenzo Camoriano, Abdulla Diku, Enrico Gallo, Roberta Guermani, Jan Hofmeister, Rosa Jankaitiené, Agné Jasinavičiūtė, Artur Kala, Veronika Koníková, Paval Littera, Giorgio Matteucci, Martino Negri, Indrė Ruškytė, Jaromír Šíbl, Jan Šíma, Kliti Starja, Miroslav Svoboda, Lukáš Zima
244-248
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1196
The spirituality of forests
Kalliopi Stara
258-261
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1252

Commentaries

The value of forests
Luca Santini
286-289
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1255
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