Pilots

• ---

  Marteloscope France: Prélenfrey (municipality of Le Gua, Isère)

  The marteloscope site of Prélenfrey was established in 2023 and is now part of the European Forest Institute (EFI) Integrate Network. The primary focus of the site's establishment is to virtually test the effects of different forest management strategy on the forest's protective function against rockfalls and snow avalanches risks. For this purpose, two specific indicators have been developed (F. Berger and S. Dupire INRAE-LESSEM Grenoble) and implemented in the forest dynamic model SAMSARA (developed by B. Courbaud INRAE-LESSEM Grenoble, and used in the MOSAIC’s marteloscopes). SAMSARA allows to analyze virtually the evolution in time of different indicators (not only the protection ones but also biodiversity, timber quality, economical ones) according to the forest management strategy adopted. The I+ Trainer, developed by the European Forest Institute and designed for mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones, is also used for conducting the initial step (trees virtual marking) of marteloscope exercises in the field. The marteloscope covers an area of 1hectares with a mixed forest stand of 645 trees (all numbered, described and mapped). It will be used for foresters training, raising awareness of policy decision makers about protective forest management and problematics, as a support for researchers exchanges, and for great public educational actions.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Italy: Agordino Valley

  The Forest Living Lab of the Agordino Valley (Cordevole basin) has been selected to study the impacts of several disturbances (wind, fire, bark beetles, avalanches) on forest stands regeneration dynamics, protective function, and ecosystems services provisioning. It has an extension of 870 km2. In October 2018 the storm Vaia severely impacted the forest, mainly Norway spruce forests. Norway spruce is the most represented species, followed by larch, dwarf mountain pine, beech, Norway maple, ash and many other species. The elevation gradient ranges between 600 m a.s.l. and 3343 m a.s.l.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Italy: municipality of Rocca Pietore

  The Rocca Pietore Municipality has an extent of 74 km2 of which 52% is covered by forests. The Vaia Storm in 2018 abated 20% of the forests in the sudy area. The area is selected to develop a new procedure to semi automatically derive the forest vulnerability against windstorms. The selected model is FORESTGales that allow the calculation of vulnerability at single tree level. The procedure tested in this area can be applied at regional scale if LiDAR data are available. In this area the forest dynamic model TreeMig is tested to simulate the evolution of the forests after the occurrence of the windstorm and understand the future forest wind vulnerability for different scenarios. Field surveys on the mechanical properties of the trees are also carried out in Boscoverde (a locality within the municipality of Rocca Pietore)

• ---

  Study site of Taibon Agordino

  This area in the Taibon Agordino municipality has been affected by a high severity wildfire from 24 to 27 october 2018, the fire was extinguished by the storm Vaia, burning approximately 632 ha. Due to storm Vaia also some windthrowns occurred in the area after the fire. Surveys on short-term post fire natural regeneration dynamics are carried on in this area, coupling remote sensing data and field data about soil cover, ground cover, deadwood, and forest regenerations species abundance.

• ---

  Study site of Caracoi (municipality of Rocca Pietore)

  The area of Caracoi has an extension of almost 200 ha and it was a mature even aged forest of Norway spruce. The storm Vaia felled almost 663 ha (whole municipality) and the subsequent bark beetle outbreaks killed more than 50 ha of pure Norway spruce forest. The natural regeneration dynamics is monitored within the damaged patches with 100 % mortality. Short term natural regeneration dynamics surveys are conducted in 4 sites in the upper Agordino valley. The protocol adopted consists in four plots where to record regeneration species abundance, soil cover, soil sample, and deadwood data. The four plots have been displayed along a transect line starting from the living forest edge. Forest regeneration has been divided into three different classes according to height: <20cm, 21-150 cm, >150cm. Browsing damages are also recorded.

• ---

  Study site and marteloscope of Nevegal (Belluno municipality)

  Short term natural regeneration dynamics surveys are conducted in 2 sites in Nevegal. The protocol adopted consists in four plots where to record regeneration species abundance, soil cover, soil sample, and deadwood data. The four plots are displayed along a transect line starting from the living forest edge. Forest regeneration has been divided into three different classes according to height: <20cm, 21-150 cm, >150cm. Browsing damages are also recorded. A marteloscope will be installed by the end of 2024. The marteloscope will consider the risk of rockfall, avalanche, shallow landslides, wind and barkbeetle. The forest characteristics that will be collected, will allow the simulation of possible forest dynamics through the use of the Samsara simulation model.

• ---

  Study site of Col di Lana (municipality of Livinallongo del col di Lana)

  The study area has an extent of 5 ha and it was a mature forest of spruce before the Vaia strom. The Vaia Storm in 2018 abated 95% of the trees. The area is selected to monitor the propension of snow avalanches formation in windthrown areas. The roughness of the study site is surveyed in snow-free conditions to investigate the evolution of stems on the ground and derive indicators of snow avalanches propensity to be applied at regional scale. Field surveys on the mechanical properties of the trees are carried out too.

• ---

  Study site of Franza (municipality of Livinallongo del col di Lana)

  The study area has an extent of 10 ha and it was a mature forest of spruce with the presence of larch. The Vaia Storm in 2018 abated 80% of the trees. The area is selected to monitor the propension of snow avalanches formation in windthrown areas. The roughness of the study site is surveyed in snow-free conditions and also with the snow cover to investigate the evolution of the stems on the ground and derive indicators of snow avalanches propensity to be applied at regional scale. Field surveys on the mechanical properties of the trees are carried out too.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Italy: Bussoleno and Mompantero

  The area is located in the municipalities of Bussoleno and Mompantero and in October 2017 was affected by a mixed severity wildfire with an extent of around 4000 hectares. The aims of the studies conducted in the Mompantero pilot site includes the analysis of short-term natural regeneration patterns and their drivers and the experimentations about different active restoration techniques, including salvage logging, planting, and seeding. A long-term monitoring project about natural regeneration is carried on in the Scots pine stands affected by the fire. In those patches with scarce natural regeneration probabilities active restoration techniques were adopted aiming to compare the effectiveness of different approaches. Trials on seed predation rates are carried on. Finally, focus groups were established with different categories aiming to understand their knowledge regarding the effects of wildfires, and post-fire management techniques. The stakeholders involved are: Piedmont Region, Metropolitan City of Turin, Mompantero Municipality, forest technicians, forest owners, policy makers, local administrators, and citizens of the area.

• ---

  Marteloscope of Bourra (municipality of Verrayes)

  Download

  The Marteloscope Bourra is a 1ha forest plot set in a protective Scots pine forest close to the wildfire of Bourra, in the municipality of Verrayes (Aosta, Italy). The objective of this marteloscope is to improve forest management (thinning) in protective forests to improve the protective function related to compound disturbances (especially wildfires). The main stakeholders that will use this marteloscope are foresters, forest managers, forest owners, the Municipality of Verrayes, and general public.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Slovenia – Soteska, Bohinj

  The marteloscope of Soteska is part of this Forest Living Lab, and sets in a protective forest with highly emphasized protective function. This forest protects a railway and bicycle path against falling rockfalls, torrential and landslides hazards. The use of this Marteloscope is to train management in protective forests in order to improve and increase their stability and resistance, and with this their protective role, especially in times of increased natural events. The main stakeholders that will use this Marteloscope are the Slovenian Forest Service foresters, forest managers, other environmental companies, forest owners, Ministry of agriculture, forestry and food, Triglav national park, GG Bled company, Railway and road company, Municipalities of Bled and Bohinj, and general public.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Slovenia - Smarna Gora - Ljubljana

  Pour le: read full post The marteloscope of Soteska is part of this Forest Living Lab, and sets in a protective forest with highly emphasized protective function. This forest protects a railway and bicycle path against falling rockfalls, torrential and landslides hazards. The use of this Marteloscope is to train management in protective forests in order to improve and increase their stability and resistance, and with this their protective role, especially in times of increased natural events. The main stakeholders that will use this Marteloscope are the Slovenian Forest Service foresters, forest managers, other environmental companies, forest owners, Ministry of agriculture, forestry and food, Triglav national park, GG Bled company, Railway and road company, Municipalities of Bled and Bohinj, and general public.

• ---

  Forest Living Lab Austria - Model Catchment Rindbach

  The Model Catchment Rindbach serves as the designated Forest Living Lab in Austria, established to address challenges in protective forest management. Located in the Rindbach watershed near Ebensee (Upper Austria), this torrential catchment is a long-term natural laboratory (>30 years) for research, monitoring, hands-on training, and knowledge transfer. The Model Catchment is operated in partnership with the Austrian Protective Forest Hub (https://www.protective-forest.at/protectiveforesthub.html), a collaboration between the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management (BML), the Austrian Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control (WLV), the Österreichische Bundesforste AG (ÖBf), the BOKU University and the BFW. The hub coordinates nationwide initiatives, facilitates knowledge exchange, and connects diverse stakeholders focused on protective forests. The main goal of the Rindbach Model Catchment is to enhance understanding of the interactions between forestry, geology, hydrology, and gravitational natural hazards. The East-to-West oriented watershed covers 23.1 km² of mixed forests, with its highest point at 1,598 m above sea level (Eibenberg), located just below the natural tree line. In July 2024, a Marteloscope was installed within the Forest Living Lab’s protective forest. This tool will support practical forest management training and knowledge-sharing activities for forestry professionals, students, researchers, and the public.

• ---

  Marteloscope Switzerland: Dischma (canton of Grisons)

  The marteloscope site "Dischma" was established in 2015 as part of the European Forest Institute (EFI) Integrate Network. Located in the Dischma Valley near Davos, in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland, the site sits at an elevation of 1830 meters above sea level and is privately owned. The primary focus of the site's establishment was to study the forest's protective function and natural regeneration processes. The forest at the marteloscope site “Dischma” is a subalpine Norway spruce-larch forest, covering an area of 1.5 hectares. It consists of 67% Norway spruce (Picea abies), 32% European larch (Larix decidua), and 1% rowan (Sorbus aucuparia). The forest has an average of 325 trees per hectare, with a basal area of 62.4 m² per hectare. The site's climate is characterized by a mean annual precipitation of 1060 mm and a mean annual temperature of 3.9°C. The Dischma site is regularly used for excursions and serves as a platform for management discussions with local foresters and cantonal administrations. Additional details about the “Dischma” site can be found in this information sheet: http://iplus.efi.int/uploads/CH_InfoSheet_Dischma_en.pdf