This study provides an overview of the forests of Basilicata, Southern Italy, including their recent history, dominant forest types, current management, and vulnerability to climate change and wildfire. It outlines silvicultural and management proposals that can be implemented in the new forest plan that the Basilicata Region is about to adopt. The proposals are based on the principle of adaptive management to support forest functionality, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Silvicultural methods include continuous cover forestry, natural regeneration, species richness and functional diversity, structural diversification, imitation of natural disturbances, tree retention to increase biodiversity. The characteristics of the forest-wood supply chain have been analyzed, highlighting weaknesses and possible improvements.

Post-fire natural regeneration of Aleppo pine forest in the Gargano promontory (Southern Italy) is documented by means of photographs taken soon after fire and some years later. The potential of pine for adaptation to climate change and fire disturbance through its phenotypic plasticity is highlighted, and future dynamics of Aleppo pine forests and management perspectives are considered.

Basilicata, a land of forests and home to a Forest Sciences university program. We talk about the launch, in the eighties, of the higher education program in Forest Sciences at the University of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. Basilicata is a land of beautiful forests that have undergone great manipulation over time. We shortly describe their history in the last two centuries, and talk about some scholars who studied these forests in the postwar period until the early eighties. Afterwards, we recall the early years of Forest Sciences courses at the University of Basilicata. In a separate box, we deal with the possibility to restore the mixed silver fir/beech forest in the mountains of Basilicata: we address the ways in which silver fir natural regeneration can be promoted, where this species is still present; and the reasons and know-how for reintroducing it, where silver fir is no longer present.

The production and the management of the residual from the milling is often object of several research in order to evaluate the opportunity of re-use them. This study has the objective to estimate the residual products at the end of the working cycle, to understand how the powders, sawdust, and wood shavings are recovered, to analyze the several their destinations and to show the system reducing their concentrations in job atmospheres. The trials has been carried out in G R Systems. In order to find the final refuse cubature, we collected the length of the elements, because the section remained unchanged in income and in escape, as only one dimensional variable changing of the wood elements. The results demonstrated that the greater incidence of the refuse is had in the phase of planing, during which are concentrated nearly 80% of the sawdust as refuse. This product, stored in silos, comes partially destined like fuel in the company for the system of combustion of medium dimensions, about 450.000 Kcal/h, and partially for the production of pellet in an other company with productive capacity of 345 kg/h of pellets. With regard to the powder production has been clear that the drainage of the sawdust and the reintroduction in circle for a new pressing has been the critical steps because the system of aspiration does not succeed to capture all the powders. In that steps the mainly powders is raised in air and easily inhaleted as such as it is advised the use of facial filtering.

Two studies were carried out on the effects of imposed water shortage in two Mediterranean pine stands growing in Southern Italy. The impact of a severe reduction in water availability on the growth of 50-year old Pinus halepensis trees (growing along the Ionian coast of Puglia, experiment 1) and 35-year-old Pinus laricio trees growing in Sila (Calabria Region, experiment 2) were studied. The experimental effects were followed for 12 months in experiment 1 and for 36 months in experiment 2, comparing covered plots and uncovered control plots. The experiment was carried out on plants of the same plots, to check if long-term water shortage caused post-effects on their growth. This research aimed to investigate what pines suffer during last years, considering the beginning of possible long-term effect on these pine forests. The results were different for the species. After treatment, the reduction of radial growth Pinus halepensis covered plants was observed, while a positive trend of growth of control trees was observed. A recovering of both covered and control Pinus laricio trees growth was observed.

Training course in silviculture: a useful comparison among expert group people.The results are presented of a training course in silviculture performed in experimental areas located in oak and beech woods in Basilicata (Southern Italy).In particular, the different choices made, in terms of thinning, by different groups of experts who worked independently in these areas are quantitatively summarized and discussed.

Research, started in 1996, has been carried out in an aged coppice of turkish oak. Thesis considered were: natural evolution of coppice and thinning of different intensity, aimed to convert coppice into high forest. About 600-800 stems per hectare were released in plots where conversion was made. During silvicultural tending, in summer 1996, times of felling and successive operations were taken, including arrangement in bunches and yarding with PVC drag furrows. Data allow to define structure of stand before, immediately and six years after thinning. At a distance of six years thinning result successful and have determined a new structure of the stand, depressing the presence of dominated layer. In contro1 plots a reduction of number of stems and stumps way observed, whereas in plots where thinning was ere carried out, no damage or result of natural selection was observed. Plots where 600 stems per hectare were released exhibit an increment of 35 m 3 , v. 32 measured in plots with 800 stems per hectare.

The initial data of a long-term research programme aimed at determining the silvicultural choices for management of ageing helm oak coppices are reported. The various treatments being tested an the following: treatments A and B, respectively, with 50 and 250 reserve trees per hectare, all of the same age; treatment C with 140 reserve trees per hectare, with three different ages; treatment D, conversion into high forest; and treatment E, natural evolution (the control). A total of 15 permanent plots were established (five treatments x three replicates) and the experimental design used is that of randomized blocks. The results presented regard the structural development of the coppice during the first 2 years after coppicing. Regeneration from seed showed a significant correlation with treatment. Data relative to the characteristics of the stands existing before the various interventions also are given. Such preliminary results need further periodical observations. ((C) Inra/Elsevier, Paris.).