The Project

Project Duration: 2 years

Extended until: February 28, 2023
Project Start: March 14, 2019
Grant: €289,570.89

Through the priority (Focus Area) 5E) the European Union promotes the conservation and sequestration of carbon in the forest sector.

In order to best meet the objective of conservation and sequestration of CO2 in managed forests, this Operating Group promotes planning that will take into account both forests and forest soils (litter and soil).

After a first phase of the project, lasting 6 months, financed by the EAFRD of the RDP Marche 2014-2020 Measure 16.1 Action 1 - Support for the establishment and management of the PEI operational groups on productivity and sustainability of agriculture - Setting-Up phase, for 30.000 €, from 14 March 2019 we started a second phase lasting 2 years, financed by the EAFRD of the RDP Marche 2014-2020 Measure 16.1 Action 2.

The partnership has an interest in pursuing a Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) of the forest assets managed by the SAFs within the GO, through the drafting of a specific SFM Manual and the consequent adaptation of the existing Management Plans to it; and by pursuing a Certification, voluntary, recognized by accredited third-party Certification Bodies.

Furthermore, the GO is interested in identifying a methodology for counting and evaluating the indicators identified in the SFM manual, through specific forest analysis of epigeal biomass, litter, organic horizon and soil; through field analysis on predetermined soil profiles and through laboratory analysis on soil samples. These analyses will be conducted in experimental sites where silvicultural techniques will be compared in order to maximize the benefits of the various ecosystem services studied.

Beside improving the maintenance of the forests in the area of interest of the project, it is planned to implement a training course for the transfer of know-how and awareness to local forest workers on the best management practices to increase the performance of ecosystem services, thus pursuing a qualitative growth in employment.

In addition, another training course will be launched within the GO that will make the partners able to communicate, aimed above all at disseminating the project concept and the environmental value of the ecosystem service that will be implemented at various levels of the local community. This path should enable the partners to raise funds and search for funding or financial backers with a view to giving Carbon storage a recognized economic value (PES - Payment of Environmental Services).

To this end, a platform for the voluntary exchange of sustainability credits will be set up as part of the implementation of this project.