Opening of artificial gaps in beech forest habitats, for increasing biodiversity in terms of understorey species (vascular plants and epiphytic lichens)

LIFE11 NAT/IT/000135

Opening of artificial gaps in beech forest habitats, for increasing biodiversity in terms of understorey species (vascular plants and epiphytic lichens).

PROJECT REFERENT
Di Santo Daniele

WEBSITE

To increase the structural complexity of the stands to create diversified ecological conditions and favour the enhancement of the biodiversity of vascular plants at the understorey level and of lichens, through the artificial opening of patches of different shapes and sizes, similar to those created by extreme weather events.

The patches can be of different shapes and sizes (from 100 to 400 m²) depending on the aspect of the site and the average height of the stand. An average of 2-3 patches/ha is recommended.

Inside the clearings, all the felled trunks are left on the ground, breaking up the largest parts and left in direct contact with the ground, to accelerate the decomposition process of the wood. The other pieces will instead be stacked with the branches to create structures particularly useful for insects, reptiles, and fungi; finally, the small wooden pieces (under 10cm of diameter) can be used for the construction of faunistic piles that can be used as shelter by reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals.

The good practice has been implemented in the Apennine beech forests in the Cilento (SA) and Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Parks. These are typically mountainous and foothill areas, characterised by the presence of small, inhabited centres, and by a general delay in the development of the infrastructural system.

The techniques for the creation of various types of habitats can be implemented wherever similar objectives and conditions are found.

From the LIFE GoProFor database, in the final part of the sheet, it is possible to download some material relating to the project, including the Layman's report in the technical manual entitled: "Manual of good practices for the management of habitats 9210* and 9220*".