Last week we were in Cansiglio for two days of discussion on the project's themes with the participation of local administrators and key stakeholders such as PEFC Italia and FSC Italia. 

Inside the evocative structure of Hangar Cansiglio, in the frame of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the LIFE programme, the first day opened with the steps that led to the birth of the project, from ManFor C.BD. to the concept of senescence islands introduced by Franco Mason and taken up by the SHSs (Saproxylic Habitat Sites) in LIFE SPAN. 

After this a series of presentations to explore the various actions put in place by the project for the implementation of the SHSs and the monitoring of target species using recorders and insect traps. An opportunity to provide participants with the basics also useful for the guided tour of the demonstration areas scheduled for the following day.

We then moved on to certification with the presentation of the ecosystem services standards by PEFC Italia and FSC Italia. Particular attention was paid to highlighting the opportunities provided by certification in supporting lost income and the additional costs that can result from integrating practices related to biodiversity conservation into Sustainable Forest Management.

The first part of the day ends with a networking session with presentations by the MIPP, InNAT, ESC 360, Modern NEC, GoProFor MED and BIOΔ4 projects.

In the afternoon, the round table "How to integrate interventions aimed at the conservation of biodiversity in the Sustainable Forest Management of the Cansiglio forests? " moderated by Andrea Barzagli of Compagnia delle Foreste with the participation of Roberto Luise (Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region), Giustino Mezzalira (Veneto Agricoltura), Ilaria Dalla Vecchia (FSC Italia), Francesca Dini (PEFC Italia), Marcello Miozzo (D.R.E.Am. Italia), Giorgio Matteucci (CNR IBE) and Bruno De Cinti, coordinator of the LIFE SPAN project.

Resuming the various points addressed during the morning, they explored how the various solutions and methodologies proposed can integrate with each other to give economic, but also socio-cultural sustainability to a Sustainable Forest Management that increasingly includes actions related to the protection of forest biodiversity. From the sale of ecosystem services to the importance of training technicians and officials, passing through the problems and opportunities related to planning, an opportunity for discussion between administrators, researchers and stakeholders to design together new management solutions capable of holding together production and conservation.

On Wednesday 12, the participants had the opportunity to visit part of the project's demonstration area in the Cansiglio forest where, during last summer, the actions planned for the creation of the first 8 SHS were implemented. Guided by the SPAN project experts, they discussed the choices made during the hammering phase and the way in which the microhabitat and deadwood creation interventions were carried out.