PEFC, the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa certifies its forests

CSQA has issued the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management certificate to the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa (VI) for almost 200 hectares of forests in the Vicenza municipality.

Evidence of the policy and strategy of attention to environmental protection by the administration of the Municipality of Bassano can be found since 2012 in the documentation of municipal decrees which provide for adhesion to the Covenant of Mayors for air quality , with the commitment to implement diversified types of actions to contain fine particles and reduce pollutants in the atmosphere.

Subsequently, in 2014 the municipal Action Plan for Sustainable Energy (SEAP) was approved, aimed at defining concrete measures to reduce CO2, and in 2023 the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy and Climate (SEAP) was approved. integrated with the Local Air Quality Plan.

The latter proposes measures to adapt and mitigate climate change and to improve air quality, distinguished as "private actions" (relating to the residential, tertiary, industrial, agricultural and transport sectors) and municipal "public actions" . and supra-municipal ones (to improve the efficiency of properties, improve mobility, raise environmental awareness, etc.), with the aim of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, fine particles, nitrogen oxides and ammonia.

By adhering to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management scheme, the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa recognizes the value of good management practices of municipal forests , ensuring that activities respect the balance between timber production, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection forestry, and the role of a tool that allows forestry companies to choose products from sustainable sources and to be able to offer them to end consumers.

In particular, from the Public Summary document of the Management Plan it can be seen that for the almost 200 hectares of mountain beech forest, secondary spruce forest and buckthorn forest, brought to PEFC certification, the Management Plan was drawn up in summary form with validity from 2018-2029, and a forest management is identified for 130.80 hectares, for a total provision of 21,643 m3, and a coppice for the remaining 63.43 hectares, for a provision of 102,900 quintals, with an increase of 5% per year.

Characterized by a civic use restriction, the area supplies firewood to the two hamlets of Rubbio and Valrovina, with a withdrawal and use expected over the 12 years of the Plan of 5.8% of the surface. Compared to an increase of 12,200 m3, 2,750 m3 will be taken from the forest. (Source: Luca Rossi, https://www.pefc.it/ )