Überbetriebliche forstliche Planung in Norditalien – Folgerungen für die Schweiz | Global planning of forestry management in northern Italy: Consequences for Switzerland

Interesting aspects of the global planning concept of forest enterprises,particularly in Italy, are found in areas concerned with basic values; the integration of agricultural planning and forest conservation. A centrally administered, forestry information system has been put into place in the region of Piedmont. The global planning of Lombardy and Piedmont is an excellent example of how agricultural planning can be integrated in forestry planning. In times when ecological systems are considered as a whole, sharp divisions between forestry and agricultural planning no longer make sense. The Italian planning concept, especially in peripheral regions, shows how the problems of a dynamic forest boundary and the requirements of nature and landscape protection can be solved more efficiently. With the implementation of the laws on forest conservation Italy is following new ways with a global management concept of forestry planning. The exploitation of Italy’s forests is naturally limited by national regulations on forest conservation and forest officials. Nonetheless, planning authorities in Lombardy and Venice have a certain amount of leeway to modify these regulations. This makes it possible to implement a flexible approach to forest conservation. The modifications has to be approved by the region, thus minimising the risk of abuse.