1. LIFE+ LIFE10 ENV/IT/00039 EMoNFUr
‚Establishing a monitoring network
to assess lowland forest and urban plantation
in Lombardy and urban forest in Slovenia‛
Andrej Verlič, Enrico Calvo; Roberto Carovigno; Riccardo Gini; Benedetto Selleri; 'Primož Simončič, Giovanni Sanesi

2. Lead Partner / Coordinating beneficiary:
ERSAF - Ente Regionale per i Servizi all’Agricoltura e alle Foreste
Partner / Associated beneficiary:
Regione Lombardia - Direzione Generale Sistemi Verdi e Paesaggio
Partner / Associated beneficiary:
Consorzio Parco Nord Milano
Partner / Associated beneficiary:
Slovenian Forestry Institute / Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije
In coorporation with:
• Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro / University of Bari Aldo Moro
• Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca / University of Milano Bicocca
• Università degli Studi di Firenze / University of Florence
• Univerza v Ljubljani / University of Ljubljana
• Mestna občina Ljubljana / City of Ljubljana
• Zavod za gozdove Slovenije / Slovenia Forest Service

3. Background
• Policy - EU’s environmental policy on the protection
of forests and biodiversity (Green Paper, 2010)
• Services urban and peri-urban forests provide
• Lombardy Reg. lowland forests & afforestation
• City of Ljubljana‘s (natural) urban forest
• Knowing the condition & Understanding the
processes
• Data - knowing what are you managing
• Comparability - harmonized methodology
• Cooperation – large scale network approach
• Participation – including users and stakeholders

4. Lombardy Reg. Afforestations
Parco Nord Milano (since 1983)
Foresta della Carpaneta (2003)
Examples:
Bosco delle querce
Bosco della Besozza (2003) (since 1984)
Boscoincittà (since 1974)

5. Urban Forest in the City of
Ljubljana
41 % forest cover!
population: 280.140
Slovenian Forestry Institute
SPECIAL PURPOSE FOREST (SPF)
WITHIN THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA

6. Beginning of testing
monitoring activities
malaise trap
gatter meteo station
litterfall traps and
lysimeters gatters

7. Objectives
• Perform preliminary monitoring;
• Map the proposal of a permanent monitoring network of
urban and peri-urban forests in Lombardy and Slovenia;
• Establish a general proposal to establish a harmonized
European UPF monitoring network;
• Analyse the ecosystem services offered by these forests in
Lombardy and Slovenia;
• Raise awareness locally about the importance of monitoring
afforestations and natural urban and peri-urban forests in
Lombardy and Slovenia.

8. Organization
PROJECT
COMMITTEE
I INFORMATION INFORMATION T
N LOCAL R
T WORKSHOPS A
SCIENTIFIC & USER
E BOARD COMMITTEE
N
CONFERENCES
R S
N EFUF Ministries
N
Ljubljana (14./15.5.2012)
A Universities Italy Regions A
T Research inst. Municipalities T
etc. Contractors
I Owners I
NETWORKING
O NGO O
etc.
N N
A FutMon LIFE+ A
Climforisk LIFE+
L Man For C.BD. L

9. Parameters - levels
»Minimum requirements«
• obligatory for each city in the network
• the most cost effective
• easy and acceptable to monitor
• sufficient to do some basic modelling
• allow comparing within the network cities
• could provide some 'PR' results
»Recommended parameters«
• relatively important to monitor the status of ecosystem goods and
services
• perform advanced modelling: visitor
monitoring, biodiversity, water retention, carbon
sequestration, heat island reduction, particulate matter
filter, protection against winds, soil protection …
»Optional parameters«
• a comprehensive list of parameters and
methodologies
• a knowledge base that could be ever evolving
• particular research or monitoring

10. Example - Urban forests monitoring activities proposal according to the experiences of the ICP
Forest programme and other LIFE+ projects (e.g. Futmon Life+, 2009—2011)
what Information about: Manual ICP Forests Target plots, frequency assessments/measurements/sampling
www //: http://www.icp- Level l Level ll Leven II, »core«pl.
forests.org/ Manual.htm
Plots location, size, status Chapter ll establisment establisment establisment
Stand Basic stand characteristics Chapter ll 5 years 5 years 5 years
Tree status Crown, branches and trung Chapter lV 1 year 1 year 1 year
indicators
Growth and yield of Stand / trees growth Chapter V - 5 years 5 years
trees
Growth and yield of Growth and yearly growth of Chapter V - - contiously
trees (intensive) individual trees
Phenology Phenophase of forest trees (plot level) Chapter Vl - - weekly
Phenology (intensive) Yearly developmental stages of forest Chapter Vl - - contiously
trees (tree level)
Ground vegetaion Species diversity Chapter Vll project 5 years 5 years
Plant injuries by O3 Visible injuries due to trophospheric Chapter Vlll - - 1 year
ozone
Meteorological Basic meteorological parameters (T, Chapter lX - contiously contiously
measurements wind speed, precipitation etc.)
Soil sampling and profil, pedological analyses Chapter X project 10 years 10 years
analyses
Soil sollution sampling Elements and ions content – liquid Chapter Xl _ - 1 – 2 weeks
and analyses phase
Foliar sampling and Elements concentration in leaves of Chapter Xll project 2 years 2 years
analises trees
Litter sampling and Quantity, composition and content of Chapter Vlll - - 1 – 2 weeks
analyses elements
Deposits sampling and Bulk deposition, stand through-fall Chapter XlV - 2 – 4 weeks 2 – 4 weeks
analyses deposition, stam-flow deposition
Air quality SO2, NOx, O3 concentration 7-14 days Chapter XV - - 1 – 2 weeks
average

11. Expected results
• A scientifically revised monitoring protocol;
• Establishment of a permanent UPF monitoring network proposal in
Lombardy and Slovenia;
• Creation of a permanent international Project Committee and User
Committee dealing with the monitoring of afforestations and natural
urban and peri-urban forests;
• An online manual on the ecosystem services provided by afforestations
and natural urban and peri-urban forests in Lombardy and Slovenia;
• Definition of a set of monitoring indicators for assessment of the
policies implemented in Lombardy and Slovenia for forests covering
lowland or degraded urban and peri-urban areas; and
• Creation of a set of indicators to evaluate the impact of climate change
on the afforestations and natural forest ecosystems in urban and peri-
urban areas.

12. Thank you for
your attention!