1. Participatory mapping of the forest community stakeholders in Europe focusing on forest genetic resources, forest reproductive material, and protected forestsTodora Rogelja, Laura Secco, François Lefèvre, Egbert Beuker, Marjana Westergren, Bruno Fady, Santiago C. González-Martínez, Tor Myking, Luc E. Paques, Christian Rellstab, Anže Japelj, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The genetic diversity of forest trees, as provided by Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) and being the basis for the production of Forest Reproductive Material (FRM), is fundamental for maintaining forest resilience, adaptability, health, productivity, and biological diversity. Despite their importance, stakeholder governance of genetic diversity remains under-studied. This study aims to address this gap by mapping the forest stakeholder landscape FGR governance. Using the Quadruple Helix Approach, we categorised stakeholders into academia, industry, government, and civil society identifying relevant sub-communities. The mapping process involved iterative revisions through expert consultations, workshops, and literature scoping. Results show that the FGR sub-community is situated between strict conservation efforts and applied forestry, supporting both genetic conservation and productive forest management. The FRM sub-community, dealing specifically with the production and deployment of FRM, prioritises tree breeding, seed production, and afforestation/reforestation programmes. Meanwhile, the Protected Forests (PF) sub-community focuses on strict nature conservation, advocating minimal human intervention while facing pressures from resource extraction, tourism, and land-use conflicts. The diverging attitudes and values of close-to-nature forest management, intensive forestry, and strict protections, respectively, exist within same stakeholder groups, as well as among different ones, and are spanning all sub-communities. The study uncovers key tensions such as competing land-use priorities between forestry, agriculture, infrastructure and energy sectors, limited flow of knowledge between stakeholder categories and governance misalignments between local, national, and international regulations. The findings are particularly relevant for policymakers, forest managers, forest nurseries, conservation organisations, and industry stakeholders to balance conservation with sustainable forest utilisation. By integrating stakeholder perspectives and highlighting key governance challenges, this study shows where a common ground can be found and where divergent opinions are strong, opening the way for more integrated strategies and policies
Keywords: natural resource governance, actors' identification, social-ecological systems, quadruple helix approach, forestry, forest management, biodiversity conservation
Published in DiRROS: 24.06.2025; Views: 559; Downloads: 466
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2. Associative organisational models in Italian forests for addressing land abandonmentFrancesco Loreggian, Davide Pettenella, Laura Secco, Nicola Andrighetto, Giorgia Bottaros, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: This paper investigates associative organisational models as a potential governance solution to the issue of land abandonment. Land fragmentation, along with inadequate or absent management, are key problems that hinder forest stability and resilience in many countries, particularly in Southern Europe. Land abandonment further exacerbates these issues, increasing climate change-related risks, such as forest fires. After reviewing the broader European context, the paper focuses on Italy, where this problem is particularly acute. Based on a qualitative content analysis of the literature and policy documents, the paper outlines the available solutions for promoting active forest management through associations, as outlined by Italian forest law. Several types of associative models exist, facilitated by recent policy initiatives, including forest consortia, forest associations and cooperatives, and various instruments for regulating partnerships and associative management. However, limited data on land abandonment and forest ownership, especially regarding private ownership, hampers effective implementation and monitoring, highlighting a significant research gap in this area.
Keywords: private forest owners, associative solutions, associative forest management, land fragmentation
Published in DiRROS: 29.11.2024; Views: 1557; Downloads: 472
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