Assessing impact of forest cover change dynamics on high nature value farmland in Mediterranean mountain landscape
Author(s)
Cimini, Dora
Tomao, Antonio
Mattioli, Walter
Barbati, Anna
Corona, Piermaria
Date Issued
2013
Type
article
Abstract
A general trend of scrub encroachment and natural forest expansion (old-fi eld succession) has been occurring in the past
fi fty years in Mediterranean mountain areas. While this phenomenon enhances a series of ecological processes and environmental
services, it may represent a threat for biodiversity conservation when occurring on High Nature Value (HNV) extensive farmland.
These open areas, created by traditional farming systems, have been recognized as a critically important European biodiversity
resource. Understanding the drivers of Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC) and their implications on the dynamics of forest
and HNV farmland habitats plays a crucial role in biodiversity conservation in protected areas. In this perspective, the case study
here presented aims to model recent (1989-2008) LUCC in a National Park of the Central Apennines (Italy) and to produce a midterm
forecast (2008-2020). In the past twenty years, 57% of the land uptake by shrubland and 46% by forest has been occurring on
former HNV farmland. Mid-term projections (2008-2020) confi rm further HNV farmland decline. Localization of HNV farmland habitats
vulnerable to change is a valuable decision-making tool to tradeoff in protected areas the conservation of traditional landscapes with
the increase of forest and shrubland areas. In this perspective, concrete socio-economical and silvicultural measures are outlined
to preserve these socially and economically-fragile open habitats.
Citation
Cimini, D. et al. 2013. Assessing impact of forest cover change dynamics on high nature value farmland in Mediterranean mountain landscape. "Annals of Silvicultural Research" 37 (1): 29-37
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