The wood security represents a strategic asset for Italy, a major producer and exporter of semi-finished and finished wood-based products. Activities that aim to increase the quality and quantity of resources available at national level are therefore of great importance. Among these, a central role is played by the search for innovative strategies for poplar cultivation, starting from the identification of the most suitable clones for the various uses and more sustainable forms of management in the face of climate change up to the insurance management of growing environmental risks , in a coordinated and integrated framework at national level.
In Italy, the intercropping of forest trees, arable land, horticultural crops, meadows, pastures, fruit trees, olive trees and vines have given rise to real agricultural landscapes with trees, of particular aesthetic quality. Agroforestry systems determine a more efficient use of natural resources than monoculture systems, however, modern agroforestry practices are still relatively undervalued on a large scale.
In light of this, this report intends to offer an updated cognitive reference and analysis on the subject, in the form of guidelines, to support agricultural entrepreneurs, professional technicians and technical-institutional subjects competent for the sector.
Italy is a major producer and exporter of semi-finished and finished wood products. Therefore, activities aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of available wood resources at the national level are of great importance. A central role is played by the research of innovative strategies for poplar cultivation, starting from the identification of more suitable clones for different uses and more sustainable management practices in the face of climate change, up to the insurance management of growing environmental risks, within a coordinated and integrated framework at the national level.
During the day, various topics related to poplar cultivation were discussed, such as interventions on cultivation patterns, possible scenarios for cultivation, response to water stress, and phytosanitary issues of poplar. During the roundtable discussion, various stakeholders had the opportunity to discuss the opportunities for resilient and multifunctional poplar cultivation from the nursery phase to the end of the transformation phase.
On 6 and 7 December 2023 the first National Agroforestry Forum will be held in Rome, at the National Research Council (CNR), piazzale Aldo Moro, 7, organized by AIAF - Italian Agroforestry Association
News during the next months on AIAF site
As part of the National Rural Network program (www.reterurale.it), a study visit was organized at some agroforestry Tuscan farms that participated in the project 'NEWTON– NEtWork project for agroforestry in Tuscany', financed by the PSR sub-measures 1.1 and 1.2 of the Tuscany Region. The project studied 2 particularly interesting silvopastoral systems:
a) The Paganico estate, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, a few kilometers from Grosseto, covers an area of 1,500 hectares divided into woods, pastures, olive groves and vineyards immersed in nature rich in wildlife such as roe deer, hares and porcupines. The heart of the estate is the extensive organic breeding in the wild in pastures and Turkey oak woods (Quercus cerris L.) of Maremma cattle and Cinta Senese breed pigs.
b) The Pietratonda Company, conducted in organic farming, has about 100 ha of arable land cultivated with cereals and fodder, and 100 ha of wooded pastures, of which 35 ha are cork oaks (Quercus suber L.). Traditionally used for the breeding of AUBRAC breed beef cows in the wild and stall.
The project aims to develop a high-resolution demonstrative geospatial information system that, by gathering relevant information layers (e.g. climate, landscape elements, infrastructure elements, agricultural statistics), will identify the climate change mitigation potential in the agricultural sector of the selected region and support the design and implementation of targeted carbon farming payments. The project is expected to lead to the development of a framework for a carbon certification system in collaboration with relevant actors and institutions, as well as an exchange and information mechanism related to greenhouse gas inventories from the agricultural sector. The geospatial information system developed within this project should enable the support of an incentive mechanism to reward more sustainable management practices such as the 'Carbon Farming' practices described. Finally, the project will identify and implement a regional-scale institutional demonstration framework that should support an initiative to promote 'Carbon Farming' practices, with the aim of linking implementing bodies (e.g. regional CAP administrations in EU Member States) with participating farmers and foresters.
At the Tenuta di Paganico, in Paganico (Grosseto), Italy, from 03 to 07 October 2022 the Agroforestry School will be held: Agro silviculture and forestation in Tuscany - Agroselvicoltural and agro-forestry in Tuscany - Innovative system for agricultural intensification sustainable. Certifications: what they are, what they are for, how to get them.The couse include classroom sessions and field visits with leading Italian agroforestry experts
The participation will be in presence at the estate, but free of charge.
The owner family in the early 1900s emigrated to reach the lands of the "Baraggia" Rovasendese (Vercelli, Italy). In a few years, the exploitation of the land, monoculture, and "reclamation" with the distortion of subtle natural balances have gradually transformed the paddy field from an eco-systemic basin to a sterile, fragile, polluted, and sick environment.
The need to change arose from this awareness.
The change was gradual; in 2001, Fulvio Stocchi sowed some rice without fertilizing and weeding to satisfy family consumption. In the following years, the areas of rice cultivated in a completely natural way increased; in 2007, the whole company (120 he) was converted to natural organic, giving priority to the use of historical varieties of rice, not artificially hybridized, of which we are today the custodians.
Over the years, they have rediscovered and improved the technique of sowing rice directly on a flooded lawn, now known as "green mulch" or "Stocchi method" recently studied by the Italian Ministry of agricultural policies http://www.sinab.it/parole-chiave/risobiosystems
Having reached the goal of cultivating without poisoning, they realized that a cultivation "Technique," even if respectful of the environment, would not be enough to cure him of the many years of chemical monoculture.
Thus, to regenerate the environment, 15,000 native trees and shrubs species began to be plantedfor a total of 60 Km of rows of Agroforestry within the rice fields.
Considering essential the excellent quality of the seeds, in 2016, the company branch "Una Garlanda seed company" was born, which markets and certifies organically cultivated rice seeds. Furthermore, since 2018 we have been collaborating with the second level association: "Rete semi rural" RSR, on the "risoresiliente" project https://rsr.bio/progetto-riso-resiliente/
To facilitate the increasingly necessary conversion process to more sustainable agricultural models, together with other farmers, we have created two cultural associations: "Polyculturae" (www.polyculturae.it) to promote recovery of biodiversity also through a collective brand, certified by Universities and the "Biodistretto del Riso Piemontese", the first Italian Biodistrict on rice, was created.
The most recent project started in 2020, is the creation of a stable wetland intended to introduce the rare pond turtle Emys orbicularis in collaboration with @CentroEmysPiemonte.
We believe that only agriculture connected to Nature, observing and respecting diversity, will be able to sustain itself in the future and bear good results.
Agriturismo Corte Carezzabella (San Martino di Venezze, RO) is a farm located near the Adige River with good groundwater availability, even if the drought of 2022 contributed to its lowering. The soil is 85% made up of sand. The company has undertaken agroforestry trials in the last few years to increase biodiversity. More than 2000 trees have been planted along the farm perimeter. Within the farm, there are fields of fruit and vegetable crops surrounded by rows of trees, including poplar, elm, alder, and oak. Agroforestry management impacts fruit and vegetable production with laughable losses between 4 and 5%.
In the Casaria farm (Masi, PD) grows an agroforestry plantation with poplar rows consociated with corn and alfalfa. While for corn there is a yield reduction in the proximity of the poplar rows, for alfalfa there are no negative interactions next to the poplar rows. Poplar plantations already show a diameter and growth at 8 years, ready to be sold to wood industries. The farm also has a sunflower field surrounded by poplar rows. Over the past seven years, the farm has planted over 6000 trees, divided into 13 species, and captured 120t of CO2 per year.
