Riding Forestry Progress: The Italian Forest Map Prototype (CFI2020)

Forests and forestry sector need up-to-date, consistent, robust information for management, monitoring and planning, especially in Mediterranean environment where extreme events driven by climate change are increasing every year. In Italy, several Regions and Autonomous Provinces created local forest maps based on specific needs and regulations; however, a National Forest Map is still missing. The FORMIPAAF project aims, among different objectives, to develop the first Italian Forest Map Prototype (CFI2020), at a national scale of 1:10.000. Main objective of the project is to foster data advancement and updating in the forestry sector, by simplifying access to detailed information and to large-scale forest data, such as CFI2020. In order to realize CFI2020, available local maps, properly analyzed and harmonized, have been merged to achieve a first large-scale information layer that can be easily updated with existing information in the forestry sector. Following a modular and multiscale approach, the project establishes: 1. forest definitions, mapping three different definitions of forested areas: FAO-FRA 2000 (international standard), TUFF 2018 (national standard) and local/administrative definitions; 2. a homogenous and unique nomenclatural system for forest classification integrating local nomenclature with the most widely used systems at national and international scale (e.g.: European Forest Types, INFC category, national forest category sensu Del Favero). CFI2020 will also provide information about canopy cover, silvicultural system and disturbance type, if any. Finally, CFI2020 will be implemented in the upcoming National Forestry Information System, where all the information about forestry sector will be soon available.