FOREST4EU Booklet Extended Summaries - Innovation Topic Hub 2: Adaptation To Climate Change

EXTENDED SUMMARIES ITHub 2 Forest Adaptation To Climate Change ITHub 2 – Adaptation to climate change (33 extended summaries) Overview of the extended summaries of ITHub 2 Title of innovation Operational Groups (short name) Country 1 Bioclimsol : a decision support system integrating future climate and ground conditions OG SPNA France 2 Survey of atypical tree species in Normandy thought to be resistant to climate change (under revision of the coordinator) OG RAISON France 3 Setting up innovative silviculture trials: planting on waterlogged soil (under revision by the coordinator) OG RAISON France 4 Specialised logging trailer - solution for efficient use of transportation resources OG IR_MP3 Latvia 5 Douglas-fir silvicoltural management with strips cuttings to enhance natural forest regeneration Do.Na.To Italy 6 Valorisation and energy use of precommercial thinning products in forest stands of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) regenerated after forest fires OG Aleppo Pine Spain 7 Chestnut forests management for quality products and promote C sequestration CASTANI-CO Italy 8 Evaluation of the soil response of different types of pruning of chestnut tree Castagni Parlanti Italy 9 Participative simulation game "Foster Forest" EUROFORNORM France 10 Theatrical forest excursions EUROFORNORM France 11 UAV and multispectral camera to map stressed forest area GO-SURF Italy 12 Educational module 'foresters, it's your turn to play" EUROFORNORM France 13 Douglas fir in the face of climate change in Burgundy region OG Douglas France 14 Assisted tree migration : 70 islands of trees of the future OG Futur Forest France 15 Course on GIS and Remote Sensing Data to monitor forest ecosystem GO-SURF Italy 16 Evaluation of different microclimatic conditions in a linear planting with rows of hybrid biomass poplars combined with maize NEWTON Italy 17 Application of SlideforMap for the hydrological risk assessment in sustainable managed forests BIOSEIFORTE Italy 18 Management manual for stone pine GO PINEA Spain 19 Reducing Input in Forest Operations: A Valuable Opportunity for Carbon Credit Generation CO2MARCHE Italy 20 Cause of the decline of cork oak forests and management strategies GO GEOSUBER Portugal 21 Geosuber Tool - Monitorization of the vitality of cork oak stands GO GEOSUBER Portugal 22 Precision fertigation of Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) in intensive cork production stands. GO REGACORK Portugal 23 "New" pruning method for fertigated Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) GO REGACORK Portugal 24 Increase and transfer knowledge to producers about precision fertigation of Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) in intensive cork production stands. GO REGACORK Portugal 25 Good practices for the management of pests in Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) GO +PINHÃO Portugal 26 Good practices for the management of diseases in Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) GO +PINHÃO Portugal 27 Increase and transfer knowledge to producers about good practices for the management of pests and diseases in Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) GO +PINHÃO Portugal 28 Identifying the presence of Flathead Oak Borer (Coroebus undatus F.) in Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) GO UNDERCORK Portugal 29 Monitoring the population of Flathead Oak Borer (Coroebus undatus F.) in Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) GO UNDERCORK Portugal 30 Innovative Silo for the Supply of Wood Chip (SISE) GO SISE Spain 31 An experimental laboratory in forestry on the classified site of Mont Beuvray GO Mont Beuvray France 32 Pilot silo with an automated biomass (forest biomass) supply system GO SPASB Spain 33 The "sustainable bee forest" concept and implementation Bienenwald (bee forest) Germany ITHub 2 - 1 Title of innovation Bioclimsol : a decision support system integrating future climate and ground conditions ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CNPF Operational Group (short name) SPNA Operational Group (name) Precision sylviculture in Nouvelle-Aquitaine Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Forest owners, researchers, advisors, local communities Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/sylviculture-depr%C3%A9cision-en-nouvelle-aquitaine.html Country, region, city France, Nouvelle Aquitaine Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Forestry / Adaptation to climate change / Decision Support System / Digital tools / Precision forestry Approach and main results This tool, called "Forrecast by BioClimSol", is a digital application available online. It has been disseminated in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region through a training session for forest managers as part of the SPNA operational group. The aim of BioClimSol is to help forest owners and managers to take account of stand dieback risk in forest management and in the choice of tree species in the context of climate change, by means of two complementary approaches: 1) by assessing the zones of vigilance or risk of dieback in existing stands, and 2) by using its nest models to assess the climatic, pedological and topographical compatibility of a number of reforestation species. BioClimSol takes into account : - The biotic conditions of the stand (Bio) - Current and future climatic conditions, with the integration of different models (Clim) - Soil conditions (Soil), which can have a positive or negative impact on tree vitality. This application is made up of modules for entering data on the stand, soil, topography, biotic factors and health status. Climatic data and certain topographical data are entered automatically via the GPS location of the plot. These data are linked using statistical algorithms calibrated by species. These are used to calculate two indices, the IBS (BioClimSol index) and the INB (BioClimSol niche index), which are directly associated with the plot diagnosed for different climate and time horizons. The results are displayed in two modules corresponding to two types of situation encountered: standing stand management and the afforestation module. The BioClimSol indices refer to three classes of soil and climate vigilance: moderate, high and maximum. These vigilances, associated with a risk of dieback or probability of afforestation failure, provide the BioClimSol vigilance. For each vigilance, depending on the type of stand (or afforestation project) encountered and the climatic horizons, silvicultural recommendations are proposed. These recommendations appear as general management advice for the resistance and resilience of forests in a context of climate change, and must then be adapted to the local context. When a level of vigilance is alerted, it is necessary to carry out checks, looking in particular at the parameters that have the greatest influence on the decline of the species studied. The BioClimSol application offers three interdependent results: - A synthetic dieback index resulting from the complete field survey and calculated using a national database of over 5,000 plots; - A choice of potential tree species to be used via its afforestation module, which combines the autoecology of tree species with climatic data; - Silvicultural recommendations for stand management. Lessons learned BioClimSol's innovation is to offer managers models to assess the risk of observing dieback. These so-called empirical models can be considered robust because they are based on numerous field measurements. The bioclimsol niche models are based on a highly detailed, quantified database of the ecological requirements of tree species compiled by national experts. The BioClimSol models are built from data collected in the field in defined regions and plots, over a sometimes still small number of points. It has not been possible to take into account all the parameters that compensate for or aggravate the risks, and therefore the level of vigilance, so it will always be necessary to adjust the results using the parameters not included in the model. The probability of observing dieback makes it possible to define the level of vigilance, and BioClimSol should be used as such. The tool exists to draw attention to risks in a future full of uncertainties in a context of climate disruption. The notion of risk is difficult to integrate, and some users are looking for simple 'binary' tools that are purely impossible and dangerous to create. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.cnpf.fr/nos-actions-nos-outils/outils-et-techniques/bioclimsol Pictures ITHub 2 - 2 Title of innovation Survey of atypical tree species in Normandy thought to be resistant to climate change ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) National forestry property centre (CNPF) Operational Group (short name) RAISON Operational Group (name) Network of adaptations of original forestry innovations in Normandy Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Advisors (National forestry property centre - CNPF) ; Managers and forest owners (Technical and forestry experimentation centre - CETEF of South Normandy). Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/raisonr%C3%A9seau-dadaptations-dinnovations-sylvicoles Country, region, city France, Normandie Type of innovation Product Keywords Adaptation to climate change , plant production, silviculture, experimentation Approach and main results Regional players are increasingly concerned about the multiple effects of climate change, and it seems necessary to increase the number of feedbacks and experiments, and to analyse them, in order to increase knowledge and anticipate the effects of climate change. As part of the RAISON project, an inventory was made of the stands of atypical species present in Normandy. The aim was to study their behaviour in relation to the soil and climate conditions in which they were planted. The ultimate aim was to identify the species that might be best adapted to climate change in Normandy. Lists of potential substitute species were proposed for each forest region and each type of site, including Pubescent Oak, Cormier, Oriental Beech, Tulip Tree, Atlas Cedar, Calabrian Pine, Douglas Fir, Taeda Pine, Nordmann Fir, Western Red Cedar, Japanese Cryptomeria, Evergreen Sequoia and Calocedar. During the summer of 2019, the National Forestry Property Centre contacted all forest managers and owners, as well as forestry contractors and nurserymen, to find out whether such species had been planted. At the same time, an article in a regional technical journal (Bois & Forêts de Normandie) and a page devoted to the project on the CNPF website were published, with an opportunity to fill in a form reporting atypical stands in the study area. The French National Forestry Office (ONF), which is responsible for managing public forests, was also approached. Between December 2019 and May 2021, 384 stands were inventoried from a list of 500 stands of interest. The individual results were systematically sent to the owners. The majority of alerts concerned softwood species, with 317 alerts, compared with 67 for hardwood species. The most common softwood species reported, in order of importance, were Maritime Pine, Atlas Cedar, Western Red Cedar and Evergreen Redwood. Sixteen other softwood species were reported. The most common deciduous species reported, in order of importance, were Virginia Tulip Tree, Corsican Alder, Nothofagus obliqua and Pubescent Oak. Nine other deciduous species were reported. Many species have all their age classes represented, but these are not in balance and may reflect a dynamic in the use of the species. For example, maritime pine was heavily planted more than 50 years ago, but the area planted has since fallen sharply. Western red cedar shows a similar trend, although there has been renewed interest in the species over the last 10 years. Other species reflect a fashion effect. For example, Nothofagus obliqua was planted extensively in 1980, but the harsh winters damaged these plantations and they have not been planted since. Calabrian pine has been put aside in favour of Corsican laricio pine for reasons of quality and branching. Conversely, Sequoia sempervirens and Corsican Alder have been used for silvicultural purposes for some forty years. It is important to have trees in all age classes, so that we can study the behaviour of the species throughout the life of the stand and begin to examine the various possibilities in terms of silviculture. Lessons learned The lack of experience of the behaviour of these species means that it is not possible at present to draw up a list of new species to be planted on a large scale, but the monitoring of experiments should enable us to respond with greater certainty in the future. For newly planted species, it is important to continue to monitor the growth of stands when they are young and to restart the planting of those that are no longer used or are used infrequently, in order to improve our knowledge of the behaviour of these species in their first years of life. The number of surveys carried out does not allow statistically robust conclusions to be drawn about their behaviour, but it does illustrate certain trends, particularly for the Atlas Cedar. It is therefore necessary to multiply this type of initiative, already present in public forests, within private forests and to pool the results to enable more robust studies to be carried out, for all types of site conditions. Identifying these atypical species and experimenting with different management methods is a long-term project for the forest and requires long-term sources of funding to enable these stands to be monitored. Contact information Mr Romain MANI - CNPF. Contact informations : [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://hautsdefrance-normandie.cnpf.fr/projet-raison Pictures ITHub 2 - 3 Title of innovation Setting up innovative silviculture trials: planting on waterlogged soil ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) National forestry property centre (CNPF) Operational Group (short name) RAISON Operational Group (name) Network of adaptations of original forestry innovations in Normandy (RAISON) Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Advisors (National forestry property centre - CNPF) ; Managers and forest owners (Technical and forestry experimentation centre - CETEF of South Normandy). Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/raisonr%C3%A9seau-dadaptations-dinnovations-sylvicoles Country, region, city France, Normandy, Saint Etienne du Rouvray Type of innovation Process Keywords silviculture, experimentation, adaptation to climate change, planting, costs, hydromorphy root system turns out to be more efficient, without damage to the taproot and better interconnected to the mycorrhizal network and root system of the released plants. The silvicultural systems tested during the project have been shelterwood cutting followed by seed cutting, strips cutting and selection cutting. The best regeneration results were obtained by clear cuts on strips, on the order of several tens of thousands of plants, with strips of the same width of the height of the bordering plants, not wide as the double-hight as suggested by previous literature (la Marca et al., 2017; la Marca and Pozzi, 2016). The proximity of the strips promotes the formation of a favorable light-shady microclimate, less impacted by atm agents such as drought or wind. The fundamental aspect is the planning of cuttings in order to wait until the seeds are mature, not before, so from late summer onward. In addition, it’s preferable to make them in conjunction or the year before the mast year. The entry of natural regeneration occurs massively in the presence of seed and light in the first and in the second dissemination season following cutting, it's not really appreciated by wild ungulates, but it's endangered by weed flora, in particular bramble. In spite of significantly greater technical/executive difficulties if compared to traditional clear cutting, the treatment with strips cutting enhances natural renovation establishment, presents lower environmental and landscape disturbance, and confers greater resilience to the forest. Lessons learned The research produced very interesting results, douglas-fir forest natural regeneration can be considered a viable option for addressing the negative effects of ongoing climate change and an opportunity to pursue an ecological transition for sustainable development. Strips cutting system with strips of the same width of the height of the bordering plants, enhances natural douglas-fir regeneration and reduce the environmental, economic, landscape and social conflicts (related to the execution of clear cutting for regeneration). Still, in Italy there are several constraints that limit the method and timing of silvicultural actions, so that, for example, if strips cutting is done, replanting is still mandatory, and often timings of acquiring permits and carrying out the cuttings are slow. Contact information Solaria Anzilotti [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.progettodonato.it/ Pictures ITHub 2 - 6 Title of innovation Valorisation and energy use of precommercial thinning products in forest stands of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) regenerated after forest fires ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) BOSCAT Operational Group (short name) GO A.P.C. Operational Group (name) OG Aleppo PIne Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) forest owners associations, local rural action group, Link from OGs database Country, region, city Spain; Catalonia, Valencia, Type of innovation Product Keywords Wood mobilization, biomass, carbon stock, sutainable forest management, regeneration after forest firess, maket and consumption Approach and main results The objective of the group is the energetic valorization of the forest residues that are generated when carrying out clearings in Aleppo pine forests. After the forest fires that affect the Mediterranean area, the masses of Aleppo pine usually regenerate spontaneously in very high densities and it is necessary to carry out clearings to increase the resilience of the mass. 2AImprovement of the economic results of the aforementioned actions and, therefore, the overall results of the farms, generating a product that can be used for the energy selfsupply of the farm, for sale in the local or international market. 4A-Return the ecosystems of the burned forests in a state of greater resistance and resilience against climate change and greater biodiversity both of forests included in Natura2000 zones, mountain municipalities, and others. Make feasible and, therefore, be able to carry out clearings on regenerated Aleppo pine, which increases its growth and the role of CO2 sink in these forests. At the same time, it allows concentrating the productive potential of the plot in a number of morphologically selected trees, reducing in the future Obligatorio/ Mandatory the carbon footprint derived from logging, logging and transport of wood from forestry operations. To valorize the waste generated by thinnings, wood and branches of small dimensions, are not currently usable to increase the performance of clearing actions that are urgently needed in the Mediterranean peninsular arc. Analyze the different current technologies for the collection and extraction of biomass of small dimensions and define the conditions of applicability. Define the type of forest biomass that can be generated by thinning (small-sized wood) and analyze the physico-chemical characteristics and properties as fuel. Analyze the availability, stock and location of forest stands of Aleppo pine in the post-fire regenerationphase. Lessons learned Improvement of the economy process of exploitation of the regenerated masses Aleppo pine for its use as biomass: it improves the performance of exploitation, reducing of the number of work phases and means to be used, Improve the returns of mount with stock of regenerated post pine fire carrasco: it is promoted and favored the use of this type of masses, raw material market opportunities are facilitated, the forests are valued with better development and capacity of trees after thinning actions Environmental improvement of the forests: the ecosystem is improved by lowering densities of Aleppo pine and encourage the entry of light to the undergrowth, the risk of fire is reduced by reducing the amount of fuel with a high flammability, the carbon balance is improved by being able to replace the use of fossil fuels for renewable fuels and neutral balance The environmental quality of rural territories is improved: the environmental quality of rural territories is improved, the intangible values of the forest are favored by promoting biodiversity, an improvement in the quality of the landscape is promoted, by not abandoning forests (prevention of fires and elimination of pests, as well as mitigation/adaptation to climate change There is a social improvement of the people, owners, producers and processors of raw materials: the social perception of concern is improved for improvement and management of the forests, the creation of a market with high impact on rural populations, generating rural employment direct in all phases of management Improvement of the territory: the creation of new activities related to the biomass utilization, the adoption of alternatives to fossil fuels is facilitated, promotion of the relationship between different sectors related to the exploitation and use of the forests Contact information Joachim Englert [email protected] Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 7 Title of innovation Chestnut forests management for quality products and promote C sequestration ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) CASTANI-CO Operational Group (name) CASTANI-CO “THE CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN THE SYSTEM OF CHESTNUT FRUIT” Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Chestnut growers, universities, regional institution Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/castani-co- %E2%80%9Cil-sequestro-di-carbonio-nel-sistema.html Country, region, city Italy, Emilia Romagna, Bologna Modena Reggio Emilia Type of innovation Process Keywords Biodiversity, nature management, soil management, functionality, landscape, land management Approach and main results CASTANI-CO promotes chestnut groves as a semi-natural system suited to carbon sequestration and as a productive source of quality food (nutritional and environmental). Chestnut tree cultivation is typical of the hilly-mountainous environment of Emilia-Romagna with deep roots in the culture and tradition of these territories. It plays an important role in climate change mitigation, thanks to the high environmental sustainability of the agro-ecosystem characterised by low greenhouse gas emissions (low use of agricultural machinery), carbon sequestration in soil and plants, high environmental biodiversity, thus a good impact within climate change mitigation strategies. Similarly to the Italian situation, it is undergoing a slow and constant crisis caused by the presence of pests and the recurrence of unfavourable weather events that, over time, have led to the abandonment of cultivation. Despite the sharp contraction of cultivated areas and the market, chestnut producers in Emilia-Romagna are very active and have organised themselves into specific consortia of producers committed to enhancing chestnut cultivation, cultivation techniques and specific local varieties as well as promoting the production area. The main objective of the project was the monitoring of the carbon footprint of the chestnut grove, which involves assessing the organic carbon sequestered in soils and plants, depending on the soil environment and also on different management practices of the chestnut grove. Monitoring was carried out through field observations, soil studies, sampling and chemical analyses in the chestnut groves of partner companies located in different soil environments. Finally, 'guidelines for the best management of fruit chestnut groves to obtain a quality product and favour carbon sequestration' were identified and shared. Lessons learned CASTANI-CO pointed out how traditional chestnut groves, thanks to their firm soils that are never tilled, can contribute to the storage of carbon in soils and plants. The valorisation of traditional chestnut groves cannot neglect the knowledge and traditions transmitted from generation to generation, which are indispensable for the preservation of the hill and mountain landscape of Emilia Romagna. From the 'voice' of the chestnut growers, custodians of the territory, emerged the need for training activities and suitable tools to improve the management and recovery of chestnut groves, as well as processing and marketing opportunities. Contact information Solaria Anzilotti (solaria.anzilot[email protected]) Livia Antisari ([email protected]) Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 8 Title of innovation Evaluation of the soil response of different types of pruning of chestnut tree ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) Castagni Parlanti Operational Group (name) New techniques for monitoring the carbon balance and the state of health of wood and fruit chestnut trees - Talking Chestnuts Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, Chestnut growers, universities, regional institution environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/nuove-tecnichedi-monitoraggio-del-bilancio-del.html Country, region, city Italy, Emilia Romagna, Bologna Parma Modena Type of innovation Process Keywords Biodiversity, nature management, soil management, functionality, landscape, land management Approach and main results The aim of the Castagni Parlanti is to assess the ecological footprint of chestnut tree recovery in the current crop year with Tree Talkers within a forest matrix, in terms of carbon fixation and sequestration in the soil-plant system, water use and soil cover, drawing concrete indications for effective and sustainable forest management for the joint production of wood and fruit. With regard to the evaluation of the soil response of different types of chestnut pruning, the Tree Talker data revealed advantages and disadvantages of the different forms of pruning proposed for chestnut restoration on small areas. In the project, three pruning methods were therefore compared (in addition to an unpruned control) of different intensity, characterised by a different impact on plant shape and vitality and a different cost of implementation: strong pruning, intermediate pruning, low pruning. Pruned plants reduce their water requirements compared to the control during almost the entire first vegetative cycle following pruning, and then align their water consumption to unpruned plants from the second year onwards. Considering that future climate change conditions foresee an intensification of prolonged drought periods, favouring pruning that has less impact on soil water status could be an adaptation strategy. Lighter pruning (light and medium pruning) ensured a higher C sequestration capacity through the canopy per unit area than more intensive pruning. However, this advantage disappeared at the end of the first vegetative cycle following pruning, in which all the plants subjected to different pruning intensities recovered their carbon sequestration capacity on a par with the unpruned ones, maintaining it throughout the second year. Even the most intense pruning does not seem to have compromised the health of the plant canopies, showing transmitted NDVI values that align in the second season for all treatments. The great carbon uptake that occurred in the autumn is interesting: higher temperatures in autumn stimulate photosynthetic activity and delay leaf senescence, thus expanding the useful period for carbon sequestration. The stock of organic C was calculated and normalised to the control value. The soil in which an average pruning was carried out on the chestnut. Lessons learned Indicators calculated from the IoT sensor data have proven to be useful and reliable for monitoring plant health and determining the responses of chestnut trees to phenological cycles and different pruning treatments. The data analysis allowed a deeper understanding of the interaction between chestnut cultivation, forest management and the environment. Contact information Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 9 Title of innovation Participative simulation game "Foster Forest" ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CNPF Operational Group (short name) EUROFORNORM Operational Group (name) Creating and leading an innovative and operational network of forest areas in Normandy Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) managers, advisors, forest owners, policy-makers Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/euro-fornorm14-50-61-emergence-et-animation-d%E2%80%99un.html Country, region, city France, Normandie Type of innovation Service Keywords Territorial animation, prospective, modelisation Approach and main results Consultation between the various stakeholders in the five areas of Normandy that have signed a Territorial Forest Charter (CFT) has highlighted the need for coordinated action between stakeholders, as well as the need to explain what is being done in the forest. The aim of EUROFORNORM was therefore to create and run a regional network of forest areas in Normandy. "The future of Normandy's forests in the face of climate change" emerged as one of the priority themes. Foster Forest is a role-playing game, a prospective and participative simulation workshop on the evolution of the forest in the face of climate change. It was born in 2015 from the realisation that, in the face of future social, economic and climatic uncertainties, forestry research needed to involve foresters in its work. Prospective workshops would enable a cross-disciplinary approach to be taken, bringing together the visions of environmental, ecological and social sciences, based on modelling approaches. It was developed as part of his thesis by Mr Timothée FOUQUERAY (PhD student in the Ecology, Systematics and Evolution laboratory at UMR CNRS/UPS/AgroParisTech 8079). The "game" consists of taking forest management initiatives in a climate change context and being confronted with simulation results a few decades later. This indoor workshop is led by a facilitator. Using a digital platform, each player is given objectives and possible actions and can carry out forestry management activities (regeneration, maintenance or harvesting, as well as hunting, monitoring water quality or biodiversity, certification and/or sales, etc.). Each session includes 5 players whose roles are set out below: - A public forest manager from the French National Forestry Office (ONF), who may be a territorial unit manager, an agent in the forestry department, a planner or a forestry technician. - Two representatives of the private forest, who may be an owner, a manager or an employee of the National Centre for Forest Ownership (CNPF). - One representative of the "environment", who could be an agent from a Regional Nature Park, a conservatory, etc. - A representative of the elected representatives, who may or may not be a forest-owning local authority, a land-use planner, a regional union of forest communities, etc. After each session, a debriefing is held in two stages, with a round-table discussion of the strategies implemented by the participants in relation to the game, as well as free discussion of the elements that they could re-use in real life, the limits and the various contributions of the exercise. Each player can come up with alternatives and suggest changes to the scenarios. Lessons learned The actions undertaken have encouraged the sharing of knowledge and a better understanding of the positions and expectations of the various forestry stakeholders. Players highlighted the need to listen to each other and understand the different points of view. Foster Forest tool proved its worth, with very positive feedback from participants. The debriefings highlighted the strengths such as awareness-raising among the players involved through a diversity of specialisations and positions. The discussions enable the perception of the objectives and criteria of the other players and the relevant choices to be made were debated in the context of climate change. Desires to pool technical and financial resources and to build local governance between the public and private sectors emerged. The game puts the players in a situation of uncertainty, which will become increasingly frequent as a result of climate change. Finally, the workshop provided an opportunity for players to discuss issues relating to biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Contact information Mrs Laure FERRIER ([email protected]) Links to website/report/video Pictures copyright : fosterforest ITHub 2 - 10 Title of innovation Theatrical forest excursions ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CNPF Operational Group (short name) EUROFORNORM Operational Group (name) Creating and leading an innovative and operational network of forest areas in Normandy application. • Evaluate the carbon stock of a Douglas stand based on its silvicultural itinerary. • Evaluate sustainability for soils under Douglas fir stands. Work analyzing the risks to which Douglas plantations are exposed has notably resulted in a modeling of the risk of Douglas fir dieback due to climate change as well as the production of climate vigilance maps. Intended for decision-makers and planners, these provide an overall idea of the future distribution area of Douglas-fir in Burgundy-Franche-Comté if global warming continues with the same intensity. Finally, an analysis of failed plantings and natural regenerations as well as planting experiments - mixed with other species or with new varieties of Douglas fir - were carried out. Summarized in a synthesis of actions, the results were transferred to Douglas foresters, landowners and forest managers and professionals in the sector through training days, technical sheets and guides including one on the use of the ARCHI method applied to the Douglas. Lessons learned From an exhaustive network of reference populations of Douglas fir in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, the project made it possible to collect stationary, dendrometric, ecological and health data which improve knowledge of Douglas fir as well as to launch experiments in order to adapt this important production for the regional wood industry. The studies encourage foresters to mix Douglas-fir provenances and thus diversify the genetic potential, and to use the California provenance under certain conditions, particularly with its potential capacity to withstand high heat. Douglas fir monoculture seems to promote nitrification in the soil, and contributes to the increase in nitrate levels in surface waters. It would be recommended to diversify Douglas fir plantations in full and to have a mixed approach at the scale of small watersheds. Finally, the study made it possible to validate numerous silvicultural concepts indicating that the increase in forest biodiversity and carbon stock in forest soils is favorable to the adaptability of Douglas fir in the face of climate change. Contact information Soraya BENNAR <[email protected]> Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 14 Title of innovation Assisted tree migration : 70 islands of trees of the future ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CNPF Operational Group (short name) OG Futur Forest Operational Group (name) FuturForest : Adaptation of forests of Grand Est Region to climate change Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) forest owners, researchers, advisors Link from OGs database https://www.reseaurural.fr/centre-de-ressources/projets/futurforest Country, region, city France, Grand Est Type of innovation Process Keywords Forestry, climate and climate change, genetic resources, adaptation to climate change Approach and main results For several years, foresters in the Grand Est region have been witnessing the decline of massifs due to repeated droughts (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022), heatwaves and other insect attacks (bark beetles or processionary caterpillars). This high mortality affects the main species of the region: spruce, fir, beech and oak. It has now been shown that the climate is changing so quickly that species do not have time to migrate to avoid contexts that become unfavorable for them. Faced with this observation, even if we can hope for a natural adaptation of forests, doing nothing constitutes a significant risk for the forest ecosystem as well as for wood production. To counter, or at least mitigate, as best as possible these mass diebacks, one of the responses consists of setting up islands of the future, controlled experiments allowing the testing of nonnative tree species on plots of 0.5 to 2 hectares. OG FuturForEst tested ten new species more adapted to climate change via the creation of a network of 70 islands of the future: 2-hectare plots spread over public and private forests. Five hardwoods (Hungarian oak, downy oak, swamp oak, Byzantium hazel, American sweetgum) and five softwoods (evergreen redwood, Macedonian pine, Calocèdre, Cilicia fir, Arizona cypress) were selected for their potential for tolerance to current climate and adaptation to future climatic conditions, as well as for their ability to produce quality timber. A preliminary survey made it possible to identify and characterize 75 plots (exposure, altitude, pedology) with public and private forest owners. The surface area of the devices is between 1 and 2 hectares with a relatively homogeneous station on the island and the planting work took place from November 2020 to January 2023. Identical on all the plots, the preparation of the land consists of: entire grinding of spontaneous vegetation, prior fencing of the plot and the creation of manual pots when placing the plants in pots (2,000 plants/ha). A guide for the maintenance and monitoring of the devices has also been written to guide owners and managers in monitoring the plantation over the first years. This OG was also part of the ESPERENSE research project led by the national AFORCE network (www.reseau-aforce.fr) for the adaptation of forests to climate change, integrating rigorous protocols and banking on the pooling of knowledge to initiate a network of multi-partner experiments . This project aimed to improve knowledge of the behavior of new species and provenances in different forest station contexts. Lessons learned The creation of this network of more than 70 islands now makes it possible to test in the long term new species in varied station conditions observe their response to climate change in the Grand Est region. From these experiments, details are expected on suitable silvicultural routes, as well as on the compatibility of species with forest stations. The project also strengthened collaboration between the different managers and allowed all the players in the sector to organize themselves to achieve the production of plants of new species: seed supply sector, processing of batches of seeds, production in the nursery, etc. We can note the supply difficulties (problem of fruiting or geopolitical context) of seeds and plants of the species selected and originating from the Mediterranean basin, central Europe or the United States. The creation of the GO in two phases - emergence then development - made it possible to take the time necessary to establish the partnership and define the common problem among different Franco-Belgian forest management organizations, both public and private, in the service of developing forestry knowledge. Contact information Laetitia Poffet lae[email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYfrtugjksI Pictures ITHub 2 - 15 Title of innovation Course on GIS and Remote Sensing Data to monitor forest ecosystem ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) GO-SURF Operational Group (name) DECISION SUPPORT TO SUSTAINABLE FOREST PLANNING Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Forest owners, forest company, NGOs, research institutions, advisor Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/supportodecisionale-alla-pianificazione-forestale.html Country, region, city Italy, Tuscany Type of innovation Service Keywords Forestry, Remote Sensing data, digital platform,Decisional Support System, wood mobilization Approach and main results To monitor stress and the impacts of climate change on forests, there is a need to enhance the technical analysis skills of individuals involved in sustainable forest management. In recent years, various tools like Sentinel-2 satellite imagery have allowed for almost continuous monitoring of such stress. However, technological progress has not led to a real change because many technicians do not know how to use analysis tools, even simple ones. In this context, within the GO-SURF project, it was decided to organize a tailored 24-hour course to teach forest management technicians how to use these tools and the related GIS (Geographic Information System) tools for analysis. The course has been highly successful with over 50 participants enrolled. The course was structured with practical exercises conducted in classroom settings tailored to the forestry sector. In particular, the Google Earth Engine analysis platform and data easily implementable into the QGIS system were used. This enabled the transfer of analytical capabilities to the technicians who attended the course, many of whom had no prior knowledge of the potential of these tools. Lessons learned The technicians emphasized that courses of this kind are crucial, especially in a forestry context. The strength of the course lay in its practical aspect, with exercises specifically designed to address forestry-related scenarios Contact information Francesca Giannetti francesca.gianne[email protected] Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 16 Title of innovation Evaluation of different microclimatic conditions in a linear planting with rows of hybrid biomass poplars combined with maize ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) NEWTON Operational Group (name) Agroforestry Network in Tuscany Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Farms, research groups, communication company, national forest certification systems (PEFC) Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/networkl%E2%80%99agroselvicoltura-toscana-newton.html Country, region, city Italy, Tuscany Type of innovation Process Keywords Agricultural production system, Farming practice, Climate and climate change, Agroforestry, sustainability Approach and main results Linear planting with rows of hybrid biomass poplar trees associated with maize was used to evaluate the effect of microclimatic conditions on the crop's water status and production. The results show that the two poplar rows reduce wind speed by up to 50-70% and that the height of the trees at the end of the shift has a shading effect on approximately one third of the inter-row area. This is the major limiting factor for the crop, but the degree of competition for water also varies within the inter-row, as the presence of the rows changes evapotranspiration: soil moisture is higher in the central part of the inter-row. If on the one hand shading allows the water status to recover, on the other hand it negatively affects production; when compared to the production of the central part of the plot (the least shaded) the decrease in production is more than 25% . The situation is different when compared to the control in 2022, a year characterised by excessive drought: the presence of the rows of trees (and presumably the positive effect on evapotranspiration) makes a difference of 54% when compared to the control. Lessons learned Since drought is becoming a more limiting factor in agriculture, there’s the need to improve research looking for innovative and traditional solutions. Agroforestry approach is very important in order to mitigate climate change and make ecosystems more resilient to changing conditions. Contact information Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 17 Title of innovation Application of SlideforMap for the hydrological risk assessment in sustainable managed forests ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) BIOSEIFORTE Operational Group (name) BIOdiversity and Ecosystem Services in Forests and Territory Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer Forestry doctors, researchers, doctors in natural sciences, biologists, environmental engineers , Forestry and Agriculture Societies (SAF), Category Associations, Consortiums of local companies interests groups or other NGOs) Link from OGs database https://www.innovarurale.it/it/pei-agri/gruppi-operativi/bancadati-gopei/biodiversita-e-servizi-ecosistemici-foreste-e-territorio Country, region, city Marche, Italy Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords digital tools, multifunctional forest management, water management Approach and main results Forests are vital in protecting property and people against hydrogeological slope failure. From this perspective, the importance of forest management is crucial, given the increase in the frequency of extreme rainfall events driven by climate change. Knowing a priori the susceptibility of an area to rainfallinduced shallow landslides is, therefore, a pivotal point in avoiding or limiting environmental and social damage. SlideforMAP is a probabilistic model created by the International Association of Natural Hazard Risk Management, called ecorisQ (ecorisq.org). Its application allows for assessing the probability of shallow landslides triggering on a regional scale, considering the structure and composition of forests as input data in the process. Through the calculation of root reinforcement, both at the scale of individual trees and forest stands, it provides valuable decision support in the planning and managing direct protection forests. In the BIOSEIFORTE project, this model was applied to evaluate how land cover changes over the years have affected slope stability in the Mt. Nerone area and also to assess the effectiveness of the current land cover condition in case of extreme rainfall events. The stability analysis highlighted the central role of forests in warranting slope stability through the contribution of trees root reinforcement. In particular, increased forest cover surface has remarkably stabilized landslide susceptible areas, reducing the impact of hazardous events. The stability analysis through SlideforMAP allowed to detect areas where geo-environmental factors (e.g. morphology and soil properties) are preeminent, like those near urban settlements and infrastructures, becoming a potential risk and requiring more careful monitoring. Lessons learned Analyzing and quantifying the forest contribution to slope stability is essential in research and practical applications. Knowing the probability of rainfallinduced shallow landslides at a regional scale can help to understand how environmental factors variability can influence such dynamics. Using slope stability models such as SlideforMAP is essential for guiding land use planning and providing quantitative information about the stability conditions of an area. Nonetheless, for even better outputs, more detailed information is necessary, including accurate resolutions of digital terrain and surface models, not always easy to obtain from regional and national databases. Contact information Solaria.anzilott[email protected] solaria anzilotti Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 18 Title of innovation Management manual for stone pine ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CESEFOR Operational Group (short name) GO PINEA Operational Group (name) Improvements and innovation in the production of national pine nut Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) 2 organizations representing private forest owners, two technology centres and a research institute, a pine nut producers' cooperative and a private forestry company. Link from OGs database Mejoras e innovación en la producción de piñón nacional. | EIP-AGRI (europa.eu) Country, region, city Spain, Castilla y Leon y Cataluña Type of innovation Service Keywords Farming/Forestry competitiveness and diversification, Climate and climate change, Pest/disease control, Adaptation to climate change, Decisional Support System, Non-wood forest product, Multifunctional forest management Approach and main results The management of stone pine forests faces important challenges and threats, many of them interrelated and derived from past, present and future climate and socio-economic change. One of the main factors is water restriction due to changes in climatic patterns and due to densification and competition in vegetation, despite the fact that stone pine is a xeromediterranean species. Associated with this, vulnerability to high intensity forest fires is an increasingly relevant factor, despite the natural resistance of the species to surface fires. Finally, pests are the factor that completes the front line of the challenges to be faced with forest management. The direct affectation by Leptoglossus occidentalis is a major problem, but other pests and diseases of great potential that affect these pine forests in a primary or secondary way are also important. The forest management proposed in this manual aims to tackle these adversities in an integrated way by improving stand conditions. The regulation of interand intraspecific competition, also taking into account the conformation of the forest structure, means an optimisation of the available resources in the most vital individuals and a limitation of the load and continuity of fuel for fires. Integrated biological pest control also requires these management actions that favour tree vitality. However, management must be complemented by other measures established at landscape scale to complement mitigation and adaptation actions, such as prevention of large forest fires through strategic management points and integrated pest management at regional level. The objective of this Management Manual is to establish management guidelines for Pinus pinea stands against biotic threats and for adaptation to climate change, a strategic planning framework for the management of stone pine with the preferential objective of pine nut production. The aim is to provide forest management guidelines both for natural stands and plantations already in production and for the production of other stands with suitable conditions, with the objective of maintaining and improving pine nut production and contributing to the development of its value chain. Specific objectives: (1) To define the main characteristics of the types of stone pine stands considered suitable for pineapple production. (2) To establish the general management bases to be implemented in each case in order to optimise pine cone production, taking into account the multifunctionality of the forests. (3) To quantify the estimated production that could be obtained with the implementation of production as described. In order to define the strategic lines of management for pine cone production, and taking into account the surface area considered suitable, 3 typologies of pine cone stands and plantations are defined. These typologies group together the main situations where this type of management can be considered. In the case of Productive Plantations, the following three phases are described: ● Choice and preparation of the land ● Choice of the base material: planting ● Maintenance work. In the case of natural stands, there are two types of natural stands. On the one hand, we have mixed natural stands, where stone pine is dominant with a basal area of 50% and 60%. On the other hand, we have pure natural stands, where stone pine is dominant with more than 80% of the basal area. The treatments described for this typology include mixed thinning, resprout selection and scrub control. Finally, other plantations refer to those plantations that were originally planted with the objective of producing Pinus pinea timber and therefore have a plantation framework and silvicultural treatments focused on this objective have been carried out. The treatments described for this typology include mixed thinning, pruning and phytosanitary treatments. This manual has a didactic and introductory function to inform about the management of stone pine stands, whether they come from plantations or natural stands. Each stand has particular conditions in which its management will depend on the objective of the stand and its conditioning factors, so it is advisable to contact forestry engineers who are experts in stone pine silviculture so that they can carry out a study and/or advice for the specific case of the stand in question. Lessons learned There is a positive effect of pruning on growth and production of female strobiles. - Pruning improves the health of the stand, reducing the presence of the fungus Diplodia pinea. - The response of the trees to pruning has been very rapid, with a clear improvement in vegetative and productive response from the first year. However, it is not yet possible to give results on the effect of thinning. This works is a first step to assess in a quantifiable way the interest of recovering production in non-/poorly managed P. pinea plantations. The work will have to be continued for at least two more seasons. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://gopinea.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Manual-de-gestion-delpino-pinonero-OK.pdf Pictures ITHub 2 - 19 Title of innovation Reducing Input in Forest Operations: A Valuable Opportunity for Carbon Credit Generation ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) UNIFI Operational Group (short name) CO2 S.Fo.Ma. MARCHE Operational Group (name) CO2 STORED in FOREST MANAGEMENT MARCHE Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, affected by the existence of saplings/small trees, because they are miscategorised. This model allowed the tool to differentiate between healthy trees, dead/sick trees, and suspicious trees (maybe dead/sick trees), producing a report and cartography that is delivered to the forest owner. Lessons learned Typically forest management is done by plots, with the same characteristics and applied operations. A new management approach, with a more adapted scale in relation to space and time is needed to face the new challenges that are coming with the climate change. By continuously monitoring the trees of a stand, using resources such as LIDAR, Drones and satellite images it is possible to know the vitality state of each individual in a stand, in this way creating a tool that allows the detection of less vigour trees, that can be cause for example by pest and diseases or water deficits, and even detecting the trees that are dead. The tool created by this project is going to allow forest owners and forest workers to have an up to date knowledge about the state of vitality of their property, being able to quickly identify the location of dead trees. This tool has a huge potential in Portugal, since identifying the location of dead cork oak trees is necessary to fill the paper needed to cut dead cork oak trees. In the future, it is of most importance that this tool continues to develop and leaves its prototype stage, for it to be able to be used in the “real world. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 22 Title of innovation Precision fertilization of Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) in intensive cork production stands. ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) ANSUB Operational Group (short name) GO REGACORK Operational Group (name) Operative Group for precision irrigation of Cork Oak in intensive cork production stands. Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Five companies related to cork production and transformation, two universities, six forest owners and five research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/rega-deprecis%C3%A3o-de-sobreiros-em-modo-de-produ%C3%A7%C3%A3o.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Process Keywords Non-wood forest product; Fertilisation and nutrients management; Water management; Precision Forestry Approach and main results This project had as an objective the study of irrigation and fertilization in young and old Cork Oak stands, to decrease mortality in new plantations, and increase the vitality, growth and cork production of the trees. Using the least amount of water and fertilizer in function of the site and stand characteristics. In the case of new plantation, irrigation should only be done where water is easily available. If necessary, a ripper can be used to break deep impermeable soil layer, using one tooth until one meter of depth. The density of the plantation should be between 625 trees/ha (4m x 4m) and 1111 trees/ha (3m x 3m). The installation of the irrigation system should be done before the plantation. The plants used should be grown in container deeper than 20cm and should be planted with a maximum of 1 year old. The irrigation and fertilization can be used for at least 15 years, so it is recommended the use of durable materials. Quality materials may be more expensive, but they will decrease the maintenance costs. Drip irrigation is recommended because it is the most efficient method of irrigation. The irrigation can be superficial, optimal in the first years and when the soil is sandy, or it can be underground, more expensive to install but there is no waste of water to evaporation and makes easier the operations of spontaneous vegetations control. Underground systems should be buried at 40 cm of depth, and between 30 to 60 cm way from the plantation line. The water flow of the emitters should be 2 L/hour, in the cases that the soil composition is very sandy the flow should be 4 L/hour. Until the subjects reach 5 years old, the water used should be between 20 and 45 m3/ha/week, after that age it should be between 45 and 90 m3/ha/week. The frequency of the irrigation should be between 3 and 4 times a week, in the initial phase it can be applied more frequently in smaller periods of time. The frequency should increase with the percentage of sand in the soil. After the first couple of years the frequency of irrigation should decrease, as an incentive to grow the radicular system. The period in which irrigation should be applied is normally 16 weeks, the summer months, but it can also be applied during the spring, when the precipitation is lower than usual, or it is the first year of the plantation. It is suggested the installation of a monitoring system, continuously sampling the field in different points with a soil moisture profile probe. In general, sandy soils should have higher than 6% relative humidity and clayish soils should have higher than 25% relative humidity. The fertilization should be done closer to the end of the irrigation, as it decreases the leaching of the nutrients, finishing the irrigation with only water for about ten minutes to clean the irrigation pipes. Until the tree reaches 5 years it should be applied 2kg of N/ha in each irrigation. The operations of spontaneous vegetation control should never be done by moving the soil layers. The pruning operation should be done annually and from early ages because the fertigation will increase the growth rate of the plants. The pruning objective is to create trees with a single straight trunk increasing the profitability of the tree cork extraction. The cork produced by the stand submitted to fertigation, is thicker, has higher porosity, and thinner cell walls. However, after processing the cork, it has very similar technological properties when compared to the control samples. Lessons learned In plantations the selection of the plants is of extreme importance, never using plants older than 1 year and their root should be well developed. The plantations should only be done after the irrigation system is already in place. The dripping system can be with fix or attachable emitters. Fixed emitters normally are less prone to leak and have less space between them than the distance between the trees, which can lead to an initial waste of water but as the trees develop their radicular system horizontally it will be advantageous to not only irrigate near the tree trunk. For this reason, it is advisable to use fixed emitters. The subjects irrigated when compared to the control subjects have a 12% increased diameter growth in the period which they were irrigated. In the case of sandy soils, the efficiency of irrigation is linked to the frequency and not to the quantity of water used. The irrigation allowed the debark, of some subjects, for the first time in only 8 years after their plantation, which shorter than the normal 12 years. The properties of cork produced by irrigated trees are different from the control, however after processing the cork it has similar characteristics. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.goregacork.uevora.pt/ Pictures ITHub 2 - 23 Title of innovation "New" pruning method for fertigated Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) ANSUB Operational Group (short name) GO REGACORK Operational Group (name) Operative Group for precision irrigation of Cork Oak in intensive cork production stands. Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Five companies related to cork production and transformation, two universities, six forest owners and five research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/rega-deprecis%C3%A3o-de-sobreiros-em-modo-de-produ%C3%A7%C3%A3o.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Process Keywords Non-wood forest product; Fertilisation and nutrients management; Water management; Precision Forestry Approach and main results The irrigation and fertilization of the plants during the dry season leads to an increased growth rate and to the creation of a larger number of branches in the tree trunk. In normal conditions (cork oak stand without fertigation) the trees are pruned with the objective of creating better conditions for the production of cork and acorns, also allowing more sunlight to reach the ground enabling it to be use for agricultural or livestock activities, and creates a tree with a single trunk, few branches and most of the time with 2,3 or 4 ramification, evenly spaced, between the height of 2 and 3 meters. In the case study REGASUBER the pruning applied was different. The “style” of the prune was similar to the ones done in high quality wood trees, prioritizing the formation of a single straight trunk, without ramifications, and leaving most of the branches that are in the horizontal position, cutting any branch inserted in the main trunk with an acute angle, because that kind of branches are the ones that will compete with the main stem for apical dominance. One other matter to take in mind when pruning fertigated cork oak trees is that it is necessary to start the pruning operation at a very young age since the trees grow faster, and it is necessary to do the operation annually to be sure that the tree trunks keep a good shape (straight without ramifications). Lessons learned The young cork oak trees under optimal conditions, without water and nutrient deficits, will grow much faster than in normal conditions and will have way more branches. For this reason, a “new” kind of pruning was applied. The results are not yet fully understood since the trees did not reach adulthood, but it is expected that the trees will grow taller, the diameter of the trunk will be higher and with a straight shape. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.goregacork.uevora.pt/ Pictures ITHub 2 - 24 Title of innovation Increase and transfer knowledge to producers about precision fertigation of Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) in intensive cork production stands. ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) ANSUB Operational Group (short name) GO REGACORK Operational Group (name) Operative Group for precision irrigation of Cork Oak in intensive cork production stands. Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Five companies related to cork production and transformation, two universities, six forest owners and five research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/rega-deprecis%C3%A3o-de-sobreiros-em-modo-de-produ%C3%A7%C3%A3o.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Social innovation Keywords Non-wood forest product; Fertilisation and nutrients management; Water management; Precision Forestry Approach and main results The production of cork in the last decades have been decreasing in quantity and quality, because of bad management practices, biotic factors (pests and diseases), and harsher weather conditions (less precipitation and higher temperatures). This project had as an objective the study of fertigation in cork oak stands, to increase the profit of the stakeholders and create a simple guide for the landowners to be able to follow. A few landowners, by their own initiative experimented watering some cork oak trees in their lands, which started this experiment. After they have seen some progress, they contacted diverse institutions to share the results and to create a proper trial to evaluate the growth differences. The results were gathered in chapters available online and printed in “Cork Oak with fertigation: Support handbook for the first years.” (“Sobreiros com fertirrega: Manual de apoio aos primeiros anos”), “Young stands – Case study REGASUBER” (“Povoamentos jovens – Caso de estudo REGASUBER”), Young stands in pre-first debarking – Case study IRRICORK” (“Povoamentos jovens em situação de pré-desbóia – Caso de estudo IRRICORK”), and “Old stands” (“Povoamentos Adultos”). This chapters were freely distributed to forest owners associations and diverse entities related forestry, which allows the information to reach the landowner. Lessons learned This project was a case of success because it allowed the forest owners to have their own initiative and be rewarded for such behaviour. It was a rich experiment in terms of knowledge share because different kind companies, institutions and landowners were involved in this project. The connections and communication between the different concerned parties was one of the key factors for this project success. All the results of the different case studies allowed the creation of different scientific articles, in this way sharing the results with the academic and scientific community. And the creations of handbooks, easily available to the landowners, which allow them to recreate the experiments and see for themselves the results in different stand and site conditions. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.goregacork.uevora.pt/ Pictures ITHub 2 - 25 Title of innovation Good practices for the management of pests in Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) ANSUB Operational Group (short name) GO +PINHÃO Operational Group (name) Operational Group for the integrated management of the biotic agents associated to pine nut production losses Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Three companies related to pine nut production and plant nursery, two universities, five forest owners and four research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/gest%C3%A3ointegrada-de-agentes-bi%C3%B3ticos-associados-%C3%A0.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Non-wood forest product; Pest/disease control Approach and main results The objective of this project was to identify the biotic entities (pest and diseases) that affect the development of the plants and the pine nut production, describing the ways to detect them, and which management practices could be applied for their control. Three major pests were identified: Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis H.); Pine cone moth (Dioryctria mendacella S.); Pine cone weevil (Pissodes validirostris S.). Three minor pests were identified: Pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa D. & S.); Common pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda L.); Pine shoot beetle (Tomicus destruens W.). The L. occidentallis can feed on pine nuts, at every stage of the cone development but it a preference for pine cones in the third year of development. It may dry the cones that have 1 or 2 years, however in cones that have 3 years the damage can only be visible in the pine nuts, since no hole or other sign of their attack can be visible from the outside of the pine cone. Their life cycle is the following: adults feed and lay eggs in April/May, in June/July a new generation is created by laying eggs again, if the climate conditions are favourable a third generation may be created in October/November, the adults from the last generation will gather in big groups and hibernate during the colder months. This life cycle leads to small population numbers in the beginning of the cycle reaching a maximum in July/August. It was observed that the adults most of the times will stay feeding in the same branch or tree but are capable to fly more than 15 km per day if searching for new resources. The population numbers are very different each year for the same place, no explanation was found for this behaviour. This population dynamic leads to very different production damage each year. As a rule for damage assessment if the insect is detected in one third of the tree in the stand a 25% loss of pine nuts per pine cone can be expected, if they are detected in one fifth of the tree the expected loss is 15%. The specie D. mendacella is affecting the most the pine nut production at a national level, since it’s the most numerous pest in our country. The larvae feeds inside the pine cones, mostly in cones with 2 or 3 years, but can also affect cones in their first year. The adult lays a single egg in a pine cone, that hatch between 7 to 10 days. This specie larvae can be identified by their brown body with legs. When leaving the pine cone the hole has an irregular shape, and resin, excrement, silk and sawdust can be seen in the misshaped pine cone. This specie life cycle was not yet fully understood. It is suspected that it has 2 overlapping generations per year, since the insect can be seen in different life stages simultaneously year-round. The maximum population size is reached in June/July, and it stays the winter hibernating. The specie P. validirostris in their adult stage feed on the pine shoots creating small superficial wounds that do not affect the development of the tree. However, when in their larvae stage they feed in the inside of the pine cone. This specie larvae can be differentiated from the larvae of D. mendacella by their white compact body without legs, and can usually be seen more than one larvae inside the pine cone. The hole left in the pine cone is round and usually resin, Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) One companies related to cork production and transformation, two universities, four forest owners and three research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/gest%C3%A3ointegrada-da-cobrilha-da-corti%C3%A7a-undercork.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Non-wood forest product; Pest/disease control Approach and main results This project had as its main objectives the development of strategies to detect, monitor, and control the attacks of Coroebus undatus F.. Based on monitorization works developed by this project a guide to identify the specie and its presence was created. The larvae of this specie has a thin white body with ten segments, no legs and can be found in the phellogen (meristem that gives rise to periderm), where it feeds and creates the galleries. This species can attack many different broadleaf trees, such as Quercus spp. (Oaks), Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Castanea sativa M. (Chestnut) and Corylus avellana L. (Common hazel). The life cycle is not yet fully understood, since part of its life is spent under the bark. It is suggested the life cycle takes two years to complete, but in favour conditions it may only take one. After reaching adulthood the females lay, generally, a single egg in the cork fissures, between May and July. Two or one year are spent under the bark in the larvae stage. When reaching maturity in the spring, they drill a hole in the cork to pupate. After 15 to 30 days the adults leaves the tree in the end of Spring/ beginning of Summer, living between two to three weeks in this life stage. Clear signs of the presence of this pest can only be found after the debarking of the tree. Galleries in the belly (the part of the cork that is turn to the tree) are clearly visible. From the outside, the back of the cork, scars may be seen, however these scars are from previous attacks and can’t give any information if the insect is currently attacking the tree. The galleries can measure up to 2 meters in length, are arranged horizontally and vertically, and usually some crossing points are present. The width of the gallery, first is 1 to 2 mm growing as the larvae also grows, reaching 5 to 6 mm. The presence of galleries in the phellogen results in a higher adhesion of the cork to the tree, which complicates the extraction process in some cases breaking the cork boards, ripping the phellogen, and scaring the meristematic tissue for a lifetime. These open wounds increase the tree susceptibility to be colonized by other biotic threats, such was wood borers. Some commonly possible visible signs and symptoms of the pest attack were tested, to check their truthfulness. White spots in the bark, made from exudated compounds, may be related to the presence of the pest however it does not have statistical significance to be used with accuracy. This symptom is also correlated with other biotic and abiotic effects. Woodpecker holes can be related to the presence of insects in the tree however it does not give any information about which specie or its quantity. The bad vigour of the tree, defoliated crown or dried leaves, are not a visible sign since the negative impacts of this pest are not pronounced, only if the tree is under very bad conditions. One other sign, the presence of a “straw” (“palhinha”) in the bark, little pupa shell, was believe for many years and by many to be a sign of the pest presence. This sign is not from C. undatus but from a moth specie. A very similar insect is the black-banded oak borer (Coroebus florentinus H.), but its larvae feed on new branches, so it may only impact cork production indirectly by reducing the plant vigour not affecting the quality of the cork directly. Lessons learned This work made clear what are the damage, sign and symptoms expected from this insect presence, before and after the attacks. Clarifying some common knowledge forest workers and landowners previously had about this specie. Before debarking the tree, it’s very hard to know if the tree is being attacked or not. Some technics were tested, and the results are the following. An acoustic detection tool was used as a non-destructive method, however the results showed a low success. The reason for this was, that in field trials very low noise or no noise at all was detected by the tool, the suggested explanation was the tiny size of the larvae and its low activity in conjunction with the great soundproof qualities of the cork. The other method tested was sampling the cork. This method is still the one that gives the best results. The distribution and quantity of the insects in the tree was found to be higher above the height of 50 cm. Other observations, even though without statistical significance, were higher presence of the insect in the parts of the trunk turned to south. This technic is the one suggested to be used to monitor the presence and intensity of attack in the forest. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.unac.pt/index.php/id-i/grupos-operacionais-accao-1-1pdr2020/undercork Pictures ITHub 2 - 29 Title of innovation Monitoring the population of Flathead Oak Borer (Coroebus undatus F.) in Cork Oak (Quercus suber L.) ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) ANSUB Operational Group (short name) GO UNDERCORK Operational Group (name) Operational Group for the integrated management of Flathead Oak Borer Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) One companies related to cork production and transformation, two universities, four forest owners and three research and development companies. Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/gest%C3%A3ointegrada-da-cobrilha-da-corti%C3%A7a-undercork.html Country, region, city Portugal Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Non-wood forest product; Pest/disease control Approach and main results Even though C. undatus does not affect the vigour of the host tree it’s the most important pest in cork oak stands, since it creates a defect in cork that decrease its value. No pest control method is yet available, since no pesticide as a viable success rate, because the larvae is protected by the bark, few or none predator and parasitic species are known, and no pheromone is available to be use together with traps. Monitoring technics for this specie are constantly advancing since the pest is increasing its presence in cork oak stands. The knowledge of the population dynamics is of extreme importance to predict future attacks and to evaluate the susceptibility of the stand. In particularly how the population of the insect and its life cycle will react to the changing climate. To monitor the presence of the pest in the stand, three monitorization methods were used, the sampling of cork, traps (nets placed around the tree) and vibrant colour slabs with glue. The data collected form this operation was gather and analyse. In terms of success in capturing the insect, none show potential to be use as a control method. But they were very useful to better understand the population distribution and dynamics. Most of the galleries created by the larvae can be found in the tree between the height of 50 to 100 cm, and there was a preference for the side of the tree exposed to south, it’s believed to happen because it is warmer. More attacks were detected in thicker trees, and trees with thicker bark had less attacks, this is thought to happen because vigorous trees (higher bark production) would have enough resources to fight the infestation. For thinner barks opposite results were found in different experiments. Debilitated trees (less bark production) would not be nutritious enough for the insect which can decrease the attacks, but on the other hand thinner bark is easier to be drill by the larvae and trees in stress conditions are more susceptible to biotic and abiotic threats. For the same reason trees grown in deeper soils (more vigorous) had less attacks than tree grown in shallow soils (more stressful conditions). In relation to the stand composition different trials found different results. Some results indicate that mix stands with a diverse understory have less attacks, but other studies show the opposite result. More research is absolutely needed to better understand this question. It was shown a big difference in the attack intensity between sites and trees. The lack of a homogeneous distribution of the attacks in the trials, suggest the insect specifically selects the tree it’s going to attack. By capturing the insect adults after they emerge from the tree, it was possible to define the ratio between female and male, which was above 1 for every year (meaning the population has always more female than males), and the period in which the adults start to emerge which was between June and July. The data collected from the monitoring operations was crossed with data of the climate, soil, biodiversity and chartography, to establish a relation between the attack intensity and exterior factors. Another model was created to study the variation of the population with the climate change. Lessons learned The tested variables with the biggest impact in the population size were: Mean annual temperature, higher population were present in the sites with higher values when compared to sites with lower ones, this variable was the most relevant for the prediction model; Altitude, population were bigger between 200/400m when compared to populations in lower altitudes; Annual mean insolation, the sites with less time of sun light had less attacks when compared to other sites; Type of soil, of all the types of soils present in the sample sites podzo soil was the one that had the smallest populations. In the climate change model, the best prediction variables found were the minimum temperature reached in the winter and the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index. The conclusions that can be taken from this work is that higher populations are found in places with higher lower temperatures in the winter and in places with severe droughts (in the model the best response of this variable was for a period of 3 years). For these reasons the climate change is expected to increase the population size and speed up their life cycle. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://www.unac.pt/index.php/id-i/grupos-operacionais-accao-1-1pdr2020/undercork Pictures ITHub 2 - 30 Title of innovation Innovative Silo for the Supply of Wood Chip (SISE) ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) BOSCAT Operational Group (short name) SISE Operational Group (name) Innovative Silo for the Supply of Wood Chip (SISE) Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) forest and biomass business, research center and an university Link from OGs database Country, region, city Spain, Catalunya, Province: Girona and Barcelona Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Forestry, Energy management, business model, biomass, circular bioeconomy, wood mobilisation, sustainable forest management Approach and main results The SISE platform, the Catalan acronym for Innovative Wood Chip Supply Silo, is an automated logistics warehouse for chip distribution, which allows quality chips to reach all points of the region, thus optimising the biomass distribution chain and reducing the CO2 footprint from transport. The SISE platform has a storage capacity of 190 m3 chips. The chips are supplied in 90-m3 trailer trucks from the main production plant in Celrà. Next, small, authorised local trucks (30-40 m3 ) are responsible for local distribution from the SISE platform to the end customer’s silo. The SISE platform works without personnel thanks to an automated system that allows the persons responsible for transport, whether loading or unloading the chips, to work without additional help. The platform automation provides significant flexibility in wood chip delivery times to customers’ silos, as it depends only on local carriers unloading over short distances. Automation and absence of staff with the SISE platform means a monitoring system had to be developed which was capable of predicting and managing demand, learning automatically as the platform delivers chips to customers, thereby optimising the transport flow to ensure the silo always has enough chips. The SISE platform is strategic for the development of biomass as renewable energy. The actions involved in the SISE project started with drawing up a master plan to provide the technical documentation for its construction. At the same time, while the master plan was being produced, a field study was carried out in order to find the ideal location to build it. Building started once the master plan was complete, the location established and all administrative documents were prepared.Now built and in the testing phase, its operation is being analysed. No mechanical deficiencies or problems that impede loading and unloading have been observed.Analyses were also carried out to ensure the chips in the SISE maintain their quality standards and technical specifications.At the same time, a survey system analysed the degree of satisfaction among both logistics operators and end customers. Finally, the carbon footprint before and after the implementation of the SISE was calculated. Lessons learned The most conclusive end result from the SISE platform shows that this new logistics distribution model reduces CO2 emissions by over 110%. A standard 7-tonne load of wood chips at 30% humidity transported 120 km by pneumatic truck with 30 m3 (24.59 MWh) of storage capacity, where the chips are kept until delivered to the end customer, produces 94.67 kg of CO2 emissions, while with the SISE system, a standard 7-tonne load of wood chips at 30% humidity over 120 km, 100 km by trailer (90m3 ) to the SISE and 20 km by 30-m3 pneumatic truck (24.59 MWh) to the end customer, produces 44.51 kg of CO2 emissions. Thus the SISE system cuts CO2 by 50.16 kg per trip (113% reduction in CO2 emissions using the SISE). A further conclusive result found there were no significant differences after testing chip samples obtained from the SISE, based on current regulations (UNE-EN-ISO 17225, UNE-EN-ISO 18122, UNEEN-ISO 18125, UNEEN-ISO 18134), hence the chip maintains its quality and technical specifications within the SISE. General conclusions regarding the use of biomass as fuel are: - It reduces greenhouse gas emissions - It reduces external energy dependence by improving supply security and internalising the energy bill. - It improves sustainable forest management. Regarding the SISE system in particular, it maybe be concluded that: - It ensures regularity and homogeneity of supply. A frequent problem with the supply of wood after 9-month drying period is that it does not coincide with the period of demand for wood chips in a region (mostly in colder periods). - Biomass reaches the end customer’s silo with: - A smaller CO2 footprint. - Guaranteed quality. - Fast order delivery response. - It boots the number of potential customers, who would otherwise not consider biomass as a fuel, thus helping reach established countrywide penetration targets for renewables. - Quality biomass is provided throughout the country. - Data on chip quality and real-time consumption are obtained, which were hitherto unavailable outside the academic world. - Greater reliability, as it is a non-seasonal supply. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video Pictures ITHub 2 - 31 Title of innovation An experimental laboratory in forestry on the classified site of Mont Beuvray ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) CNPF Operational Group (short name) OG Mont Beuvray Operational Group (name) Mont Beuvray : An experimental laboratory in forestry on the classified site of Mont Beuvray Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Forest owners, researchers, advisors Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/un-laboratoiredexp%C3%A9rimentation-foresti%C3%A8re-sur-le.html Country, region, city France, Bourgogne - Franche Comté Type of innovation Organisational innovation Keywords Forestry, Adaptation to climate change Approach and main results Covered by a 950 ha forest estate managed by Bibracte, Mont Beuvray constitutes an exceptional archaeological and natural site, recognized for its landscape quality and for its important heritage dimension: it sheltered the capital of the Aedui, a Gaul people Celtic, in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. The last few years of severe drought have had a strong impact on the forest area. Since 2018, spruce stands (around 100 ha) have had to be fully exploited (clear cuts) following massive bark beetle attacks, while beech and silver fir stands also show serious signs of dieback. Faced with the challenge of adapting forests to climate change, forest stakeholders must also implement multifunctional silviculture, capable of producing quality wood while preserving biodiversity and the environment as well as societal uses of the forest. STRENGTHENING COOPERATION AROUND FOREST MANAGEMENT: In a regional context presenting a strong demand for involvement from civil society in forest management, the project partners have set themselves the objective of setting up an experimental system intended to study changes in the forest ecosystem, to experiment with different sustainable management methods and to open a space for dialogue on forestry subjects. This forest laboratory will take into account in a concerted manner three issues related to forest management in the face of climate change: the preservation of wood resources, the characterization and preservation of ecosystem services, and the social acceptability of silvicultural practices. The 2nd objective of the project consists of setting up observation protocols, carrying out a first series of field data collection campaigns and initiating the analysis of this data. Finally, the project partners intend to establish and lead a permanent consultation system in order to consolidate the laboratory and strengthen cooperation between scientists, practitioners and residents. Several actions have already been implemented: 1) Design and organize a laboratory • 50 organic matter sampling points as part of a thesis. • Opening of 30 soil pits and associated analyses. • Installation of 3 soil temperature and hygrometry probes as well as soil respiration measuring devices. • Geological identification of the substrate and petrographic analyses. • Compilation of available data on the history of the forest massif. • Establishment of a shared cartographic tool for sampling soils and forest stands. 2) Observation, collection and analysis of field data • Regeneration of 96 ha of old spruce stands with experimental afforestation methods on 68 ha. • Conducting a wave of measurements of forest stand observation plots (PSDRF protocol). • Monitoring of experimental plantings (1200 permanent seed plots) and dieback. • Summer hunting experimentation on approach in order to contain the deer population. 3) Establish and lead a consultation system • Practical workshops in the forest with the general public. • Study trip to Central Europe to meet forest professionals and experts. Lessons learned The project brings together stakeholders wishing to be integrated into forest management around a common subject of concern: the future of forest areas under climatic constraints. The result will be technical forest management decisions, scientifically supported and representative of the diversity of opinions and issues. Carried out on a small territory, the project allows for extensive transdisciplinary experimentation with precise results and easy local action possibilities. The size of the territory nevertheless remains a technical challenge for carrying out certain studies (such as climate modeling) in which the project is part of a larger scale on a cooperative basis. The data could also be shared with the scientific and technical community via the Sentinel Forest Observatory of the Natural Reserves of France. Contact information [email protected] Links to website/report/video https://forestlab.hypotheses.org/ Pictures ITHub 2 - 32 Title of innovation Pilot silo with an automated biomass (forest biomass) supply system ITHub 2 FOREST4EU partner (short name) BOSCAT Operational Group (short name) SPASB Operational Group (name) Pilot silo with an automated biomass (forest biomass) supply system Type of OG's partners (farmers, forest owners, researchers, advisors, businesses, environmental groups, consumer interests groups or other NGOs) Forest industry Link from OGs database https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/sitja-pilotautomatitzada-subministradora-dE Country, region, city Spain, Catalunya, Province: Tarragona,Lleida,Girona,Barcelona Type of innovation Technological innovation Keywords Forestry, Biodiversity and nature management, Innovation social systems, Organisational innovation