The resources that forests need
“Forests and economies” is the theme chosen for the International Day of Forests 2026 which will be celebrated tomorrow, March 21st. This crucial combination is essential for the conservation and enhancement of our national forest territory, and must always be considered in economic terms. Too often, we forget that our forests require resources for direct human management to maximize the potential of their ecosystem services. A well-managed forest can protect the soil, manage water, limit damage from landslides, capture CO2, and much more. At the same time, these same forests can also provide direct material goods, such as woody products, and therefore actively contribute to the economy.
Forest management
Leaving Italy's forests to evolve freely, without human intervention, is therefore never a viable solution. We are not dealing with primeval forests, which have never experienced human intervention and can therefore be left to their own devices. With the exception of limited patches of protected areas in our country, the vast majority of Italian forests have been modified by humans, some even profoundly degraded. Unfortunately, everything related to forest management also entails costs, which, however, must be considered investments. The future challenges of forestry, in fact, focus on increasingly efficient forest management in terms of ecosystem services for humans, but also on increasingly resilient and stable structures capable of countering the effects of ongoing climate change, such as water stress, the potential increase in disease, and, above all, the high incidence of fire risk.
Restoring Nature
Another opportunity for all this comes from the Nature Restoration regulation, the subject of an ongoing National Plan, which will include specific measures for forest recovery and enhancement. Once again, the Italian Hunting Federation draws attention to "Management": this is the key word to refer to and implement (Office for Wildlife and Agro-Environmental Studies and Research – FIDC).
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