PEFC Italia reaches and exceeds one million hectares of certified forests on Italian territory, and this happens precisely on the occasion of the certification issued by CSQA for PEFC Sustainable Forest Management to the Regional Forestry Agency of Umbria (AFOR) for some of the forests that enrich and make the Monte Subasio Regional Park precious, extending over the municipalities of Assisi, Spello, Valtopina and Nocera Umbra (PG).In these woods stands the Carceri Hermitage where Saint Francis and his first companions retreated in contemplation, leading an austere life of prayer.
The certificate certifies the sustainable forest management of the Monte Subasio Regional State Property Complex of beech forests, holm oak forests, orno-ostriate forests, cypress forests, mixed oak and broad-leaved forests, fir trees, Aleppo pine forests, douglasie forests, domestic and maritime pine forests, and cedar forests, for a total of 2,313.39 hectares.
A relevant certification, that of Subasio, a protected natural area of 7,196 hectares of extension characterized by naturalistic and historical-cultural values, an oasis of biodiversity also recognized by the European Natura 2000 Network with the presence of four SACs (Special Conservation Areas).
This new certification for the Umbrian territory adds to that of the historic and structured management of the Selvamar company of the Margaritelli family with 173.5 hectares in the municipalities of Piegaro, Città della Pieve (PG) and Montegabbione (TR), which joined the scheme PEFC already in 2013.
PEFC's path in its work in the dissemination and diffusion of tools and knowledge on the topic of forest management began in Italy more than twenty years ago, in 2001, and saw its obtaining from the Amiata Forestry Consortium in the spring of 2003 of the first individual certification.
From there, the spread of sustainable forest management practices saw a positive and almost constant, solid and widespread growth trend, which initially saw the northern regions of the country as protagonists, with forest-wood supply chains already structured and rooted, then found awareness and approval throughout the peninsula , reaching today a total area of 1,000,974.14 hectares.
Considering that forests cover approximately 37% of the entire national surface area, for a total of 11,054,458.00 hectares, it emerges that almost one hectare out of every 10 is managed in a sustainable way and certified according to the PEFC standard. (Source: https://www.pefc.it/ )