Where once there was only devastation, now small sprouts of hope make their way among stumps and felled trunks.
Just under 6 years ago, storm Vaia, with winds of up to 200 km/h, attacked the North-East, cutting down 42 hectares of forest in just a few days. Col di Lana, one of the most important massifs in the heart of the Belluno Dolomites, was one of the most affected places.
In addition to the loss of forest cover, the disaster left fertile ground for the proliferation of the bark beetlea small beetle that infected and killed even spruce trees not uprooted by the storm. “It would take 60 years to rebuild the forest as it was before Vaia,” the forestry doctor explained to GreenMe Horace Andrich. “Our intervention aims to accelerate a process that nature would activate anyway, but over a much longer period of time”.
Despite the felling of approximately 100,000 cubic meters of trees affected by Vaia, another 150,000 cubic meters of damaged wood still lie on the ground. In the coming years, further interventions are expected to remove approximately 60,000 cubic meters of compromised trees, e prevent the spread of bark beetle.
But right here, in one of the places most damaged by the storm and marked by the bark beetle infestation, an innovative reforestation project has come to life that is bringing life back to the wounded landscape, a sign of a resilience that so belongs to nature.
With the initiative “More Nature for Col di Lana”, promoted by PEFC Italia, Rete Clima and Coldiretti Belluno, and supported by the 8×1000 funds of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist Institute, over 5,400 new native plants they are planted for regenerate this precious natural heritage.
Reforestation: innovative techniques and species selection
The heart of the “Ancora Natura per il Col di Lana” project is reforestation through innovative techniques, including the use of “cribs”. These structures, made with the woody material left over from the storm, serve to protect the young plants from ungulates such as deer and roe deer, without resorting to artificial fences. “We chose to protect the seedlings taking advantage of what nature has left us,” explained Andrich, during the visit to the woods of Col di Lana. “The cradles are made of stumps and crashed trunks, which form a sort of natural barrier around the plants”.
Species selected for reforestation include larches, stone pines and beeches. The larch, due to its ability to grow quickly and resist cold climates, it was chosen as the main species for high altitude reconstruction.
The stone pine, although slower to develop, it is particularly suitable for higher altitudes due to its resistance to cold and drought. The planting is based on an unconventional method: the plants are arranged in a crown around the stumps of the trees felled by Vaia, taking advantage of the pre-existing roots to facilitate rooting.
“The stumps function as a natural support,” explains Andrich. “The roots of new plants find space between the old ones, reducing the effort of growing in hard, stony soil. This significantly increases their chances of survival.”
The success of this technique has already led to promising regeneration: “The plants are taking root well, even if they grow slowly. In a few years we will see the first tangible results”.
Autumn: the ideal time for planting
One of the key aspects of the project is the choice to plant in autumn, rather than in spring, as is often the case. Andrich explains that this decision is based on careful observation of the roots of the plants: “During autumn, even if the visible part of the plants does not grow, the roots work intensely. This way, the plants have time to adapt to the soil before winter, increasing their chances of success.”
According to Andrich’s observations, the success rate of autumn reforestation is much higher than spring reforestation, even if a physiological percentage of 10-20% of plants does not survive. “For a project of this type it is necessary to plan the production of the plants years in advance,” he explains. “You can’t improvise: the phytocells used to raise the seedlings are prepared at least two or three years before planting”.
Wood as a resource: valorisation and sustainability
Another objective of the project is to valorise the wood felled by the Vaia storm. Antonio Brunorigeneral secretary of PEFC Italia, told us how local wood is a precious resource, to be managed in a sustainable and traceable way: “It is the raw material that guarantees us climate stability, because it is the alternative to plastic. It stores CO2 and, if managed correctly, can become a product of very high value on the market.”
The recovered wood is then used for various uses, from the production of packaging to carpentry, through consortia such as that of Legno Veneto, which has the Sedico Wood School. Here, students learn to work with wood in a sustainable way, following the highest technological and environmental standards. “Even the wood attacked by the bark beetle can be valorised,” explains Brunori, “but it must be processed quickly to prevent degradation from compromising its quality”.
Community participation: a shared project
The involvement of local communities is one of the central aspects of “Ancora Natura per il Col di Lana”. Schools, such as the “Antonio Della Lucia” Agricultural Institute of Feltre, actively participate in the project, contributing to the creation of information panels that will be installed along the reforested paths. These panels, created by the students, will guide visitors to discover the forest and the sustainable practices adopted for its reconstruction.
Local farms also play an important role, acting as “gardeners of the environment”, monitoring the development of new plants and intervening to protect them from wild animals. “Working together with communities is critical to the success of these types of projects,” Andrich emphasizes. “We are not just restoring a forest but also reconstituting an entire ecosystemwhich must be sustainable and self-sufficient.”
A replicable model for sustainable reforestation
The “Ancora Natura per il Col di Lana” project is not only a local response to the damage of Vaia, but a replicable model for other areas devastated by natural disasters or parasitic infestations. ” “It’s a synergy between many different entities for replenish natural capital”, said Paolo Viganò, president of the Clima network. The collaboration between different bodies, the use of innovative techniques and the active involvement of communities demonstrate that it is possible to address environmental challenges in an effective and sustainable way.
Thanks to these interventions, the Col di Lana forests will not only return to being a resource for the area, but will become a symbol of resilience and regeneration for the entire community.
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