There are seven Tuscan municipalities that participated in the tender to protect and care for stone pine forests in their territories. Viareggio, Pietrasanta, Pisa, San Vincenzo, Scarlino, Castiglione della Pescaia and Grosseto will therefore be able to see silvicultural interventions financed to increase stability, guarantee renewal, reduce the risk of fires or other disasters in their pine forests in the context of environmental protection and of landscape management.
The resources made available by Masaf through the National Forestry Strategy amounted to approximately 900 thousand euros.
For each individual project there was coverage of up to 100% of the costs incurred for the eligible interventions calculated net of the estimated value, or proceeds from the sale, of the wood material obtained during the execution of the intervention.
The vice-president and councilor for agriculture observed that the coastal pine forests of Tuscany represent a high-value ecosystem, characterizing the territory, whose importance is also recognized by the Territorial Address Plan which promotes its maintenance and active management to safeguard its characteristics and its functionality.
Often, however, the Tuscan coastal pine forests are in less than excellent conditions, to the point of reaching situations of actual degradation, because they are now aged and unable to naturally renew themselves sufficiently. Without considering that they are subject to damage caused by various pathogens, pollution or climate change. All these elements also determine situations of strong risk for public safety due to the high propensity to fires that characterize them and the strong anthropization of many areas around which they arise. This is why such a call is considered valuable.
