LIFE+ LIFE10 ENV/IT/00039 EMoNFUr

‚Establishing a monitoring networkto assess lowland forest and urban plantation

in Lombardy and urban forest in Slovenia‛

Andrej Verlič, Enrico Calvo; Roberto Carovigno; Riccardo Gini; Benedetto Selleri; 'Primož Simončič, Giovanni Sanesi

Lead Partner / Coordinating beneficiary:ERSAF - Ente Regionale per i Servizi all’Agricoltura e alle Foreste

Partner / Associated beneficiary:Regione Lombardia - Direzione Generale Sistemi Verdi e Paesaggio

Partner / Associated beneficiary: Consorzio Parco Nord Milano

Partner / Associated beneficiary:Slovenian Forestry Institute / Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije

In coorporation with:

• Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro / University of Bari Aldo Moro

• Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca / University of Milano Bicocca

• Università degli Studi di Firenze / University of Florence

• Univerza v Ljubljani / University of Ljubljana

• Mestna občina Ljubljana / City of Ljubljana

• Zavod za gozdove Slovenije / Slovenia Forest Service

Background

• Policy - EU’s environmental policy on the protection of forests and biodiversity (Green Paper, 2010)

• Services urban and peri-urban forests provide

• Lombardy Reg. lowland forests & afforestation

• City of Ljubljana‘s (natural) urban forest

• Knowing the condition & Understanding the processes

• Data - knowing what are you managing

• Comparability - harmonized methodology

• Cooperation – large scale network approach

• Participation – including users and stakeholders

Lombardy Reg. Afforestations

Examples:

Parco Nord Milano (since 1983)

Boscoincittà (since 1974)

Foresta della Carpaneta (2003)

Bosco delle querce(since 1984)Bosco della Besozza (2003)

SPECIAL PURPOSE FOREST (SPF) WITHIN THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA

Slovenian Forestry Institute

Urban Forest in the City ofLjubljana

41 % forest cover!population: 280.140

Beginning of testingmonitoring activities

malaise trap

lysimeterslitterfall traps andgatters

gatter meteo station

Objectives

• Perform preliminary monitoring;

• Map the proposal of a permanent monitoring network of urban and peri-urban forests in Lombardy and Slovenia;

• Establish a general proposal to establish a harmonized European UPF monitoring network;

• Analyse the ecosystem services offered by these forests in Lombardy and Slovenia;

• Raise awareness locally about the importance of monitoring afforestations and natural urban and peri-urban forests in Lombardy and Slovenia.

PROJECT

COMMITTEE

SCIENTIFIC

BOARD

USER

COMMITTEE

WORKSHOPS

&CONFERENCES

NETWORKING

EFUFUniversitiesResearch inst.etc.

MinistriesRegionsMunicipalitiesContractorsOwnersNGOetc.

FutMon LIFE+Climforisk LIFE+Man For C.BD.

Ljubljana (14./15.5.2012)Italy

Organization

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LOCALINFORMATION INFORMATION

»Minimum requirements«• obligatory for each city in the network• the most cost effective • easy and acceptable to monitor• sufficient to do some basic modelling• allow comparing within the network cities• could provide some 'PR' results

»Recommended parameters«• relatively important to monitor the status of ecosystem goods and

services• perform advanced modelling: visitor

monitoring, biodiversity, water retention, carbon sequestration, heat island reduction, particulate matter filter, protection against winds, soil protection …

»Optional parameters«• a comprehensive list of parameters and

methodologies• a knowledge base that could be ever evolving• particular research or monitoring

Parameters - levels

what Information about: Manual ICP Forests

www //: http://www.icp-

forests.org/ Manual.htm

Target plots, frequency assessments/measurements/sampling

Level l Level ll Leven II, »core«pl.

Plots location, size, status Chapter ll establisment establisment establisment

Stand Basic stand characteristics Chapter ll 5 years 5 years 5 years

Tree status Crown, branches and trung

indicators

Chapter lV 1 year 1 year 1 year

Growth and yield of

trees

Stand / trees growth Chapter V - 5 years 5 years

Growth and yield of

trees (intensive)

Growth and yearly growth of

individual trees

Chapter V - - contiously

Phenology Phenophase of forest trees (plot level) Chapter Vl - - weekly

Phenology (intensive) Yearly developmental stages of forest

trees (tree level)

Chapter Vl - - contiously

Ground vegetaion Species diversity Chapter Vll project 5 years 5 years

Plant injuries by O3 Visible injuries due to trophospheric

ozone

Chapter Vlll - - 1 year

Meteorological

measurements

Basic meteorological parameters (T,

wind speed, precipitation etc.)

Chapter lX - contiously contiously

Soil sampling and

analyses

profil, pedological analyses Chapter X project 10 years 10 years

Soil sollution sampling

and analyses

Elements and ions content – liquid

phase

Chapter Xl _ - 1 – 2 weeks

Foliar sampling and

analises

Elements concentration in leaves of

trees

Chapter Xll project 2 years 2 years

Litter sampling and

analyses

Quantity, composition and content of

elements

Chapter Vlll - - 1 – 2 weeks

Deposits sampling and

analyses

Bulk deposition, stand through-fall

deposition, stam-flow deposition

Chapter XlV - 2 – 4 weeks 2 – 4 weeks

Air quality SO2, NOx, O3 concentration 7-14 days

average

Chapter XV - - 1 – 2 weeks

Example - Urban forests monitoring activities proposal according to the experiences of the ICP Forest programme and other LIFE+ projects (e.g. Futmon Life+, 2009—2011)

Expected results

• A scientifically revised monitoring protocol;

• Establishment of a permanent UPF monitoring network proposal in Lombardy and Slovenia;

• Creation of a permanent international Project Committee and UserCommittee dealing with the monitoring of afforestations and natural urban and peri-urban forests;

• An online manual on the ecosystem services provided by afforestationsand natural urban and peri-urban forests in Lombardy and Slovenia;

• Definition of a set of monitoring indicators for assessment of the policies implemented in Lombardy and Slovenia for forests covering lowland or degraded urban and peri-urban areas; and

• Creation of a set of indicators to evaluate the impact of climate change on the afforestations and natural forest ecosystems in urban and peri-urban areas.

Thank you foryour attention!