During The Restoration Initiative (TRI) Capacity-Building week at FAO headquarters, gathering all national TRI project teams and Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) project teams, participants had a chance to visit the Model Forest of the Aterno Valley. The objective of this field trip was to visit a Model Forest, showing how different land uses and related value chains can interact and collaborate to promote a sustainable and integrated management of natural resources at the landscape level.

The Aterno Valley is located in the region of Abruzzo, central Italy. In 2018, the Abruzzo region formally joined the Mediterranean Model Forests Network (MMFN). Later, 15 municipalities located in the Aterno river valley established the first pilot Model Forest in Abruzzo. The Model Forest covers over 310 square kilometres, mostly lying within the borders of the Sirente-Velino Natural Park. In this relatively limited geographic area, different land uses coexist and give origin to the typical Mediterranean socio-ecosystem: a genuine mosaic landscape with various degrees of naturalness like forests, scrublands, mountains and freshwater bodies within close distance to pastures, cultivated lands and urbanised areas.

The field trip participants were welcomed by the mayors of three villages of the Aterno Valley Model Forest, who presented the challenges of fighting rural abandonment and the added value of being part of a Model Forest. The participants then visited an oak woodland managed to produce truffles and had the opportunity to speak with a truffle producer about the techniques, the economic incomes from this very unique activity and how it is strictly related to the sustainable management of a wooded area. The President of the L’Aquila Saffron Protection and Development Consortium (Saffron of L’Aquila PDO) then introduced the participants to the local value chain of saffron production and explained the added value of relying on a consortium for promoting this product at local and national level.

A local forest technician presented the current status of local forest resources: rural abandonment has caused rapid forest expansion leading to an increasing  risk of fires and an uncontrolled growth of forest resources. The integrated and sustainable management of these resources is enhanced by the Model Forest, which promotes a sustainable and integrated management of woods to maximize the goods and services that they can provide.

During the field trip, the participants also had the opportunity to visit one of the valley’s medieval towers, addressing also the role of ecotourism to revitalize the area with the support of the local youth association.

Through this field visit, the participants had the opportunity to learn how rural communities had to adapt to the complexity of the surrounding environment and make the best use of its resources and biological diversity. Being part of a Model Forest, which is based on collaboration and sharing experiences, helps communities cope with new global challenges and threats to ecosystems. Population decline, due to the lack of job opportunities and services, has affected local communities, thus isolating people and letting ancient socio-economic traditions all but disappear. Local institutions, economic actors and dynamic citizens are actively interacting and focusing their efforts on real, shared objectives and values.

Outcome: Participants have gained valuable knowledge about the Model Forest process and how to connect local communities and coordinate amongst different sectors. Based on local context in their respective TRI countries, participants noticed similarities in terms of challenges encountered and highlighted that further exchange with the mayors and the Aterno Valley Model Forest promoters could help ensure that knowledge is shared and lessons are learnt continuously.

Action point: TRI Global programme will share Model Forest contacts with all participants to promote further networking.

Valentina Garavaglia (FAO)