On 7–8 November, the Life4OakForests project workshop took place in the Vena del Gesso Romagnola regional Park, organized in collaboration with ProSilva Italy.
Two intense days were dedicated to conservation-oriented forest management, exploring the Park’s oak forests and reviewing the interventions carried out within the LIFE project.
ProSilva Italy is a non-profit cultural association that brings together mainly forestry professionals, but also enthusiasts and individuals interested in the sustainable management of forests.
Its goal is to promote a “pro-nature” silviculture, capable of combining the protection of forest ecosystems with the ecological, economic, and social needs of our time.
The meeting was attended by technicians and professionals from various Italian regions — Friuli Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Marche, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto — who contributed their diverse experiences and perspectives, enriching the discussion.
First Day – Exchange and Discovery
The first day began at Rifugio Cà Carnè, where Serena Petroncini, technical coordinator of the LIFE project, presented its objectives and the results achieved so far.
From the very start, participants showed great interest, engaging in a lively exchange of ideas and technical insights.
In the afternoon, an excursion along the Life Nature Trail led participants to the monitoring areas of Rontana and to the experimental site for the control of Ailanthus and Robinia pseudoacacia, two invasive alien species.
Along the route, Serena Petroncini, accompanied by Park guide Sandro Bassi, illustrated the ongoing forest conservation interventions and monitoring activities.
The day concluded at sunset, by torchlight and with great enthusiasm — a sign of genuine and shared engagement.
Second Day – The Forest as an Open-Air Classroom
The second day was entirely devoted to fieldwork.
The excursion followed the Crystal Trail, crossing the intervention areas of Toresina and Cà Faggia saddle, then climbing the ridge towards Monte della Volpe and descending into the Rio Stella blind valley, within a forested area owned by the Park.
Once again, Serena Petroncini, together with Matteo Ruocco, the naturalist of Ente Parchi Romagna, and Park guide Sandro Bassi, presented the different forest management strategies aimed at enhancing biodiversity and forest resilience.
The technicians from ProSilva Italy actively participated, offering valuable observations and reflections.
The workshop was conceived as an opportunity for exchange and dialogue on a nature-oriented forestry approach.
Among the main topics discussed:
- the role of deadwood as an essential element for many species;
- diversifying forest structure towards more natural models;
- the creation of microhabitats to increase biodiversity;
- and the administrative and legal challenges that still hinder some conservation measures, such as the creation and retention of deadwood in forests.
From the discussion, a shared vision emerged:
to make our forests richer and more resilient, there is a need for greater regulatory flexibility and simpler administrative procedures, allowing the effective implementation of actions aimed at protecting biodiversity.
The Life4OakForests workshop with ProSilva Italy represented a valuable moment of knowledge sharing, discussion, and collaboration among forestry professionals — an important step towards a forest management approach that is increasingly nature-oriented and aware of its value for the future.
