Insights from Cansiglio: A successful final conference of the LIFE SPAN project

Andreas Schuck from EFI and the Integrate Network Secretariat took part in the final conference of the Life+ LIFE SPAN project in Cansiglio Forest in the Trevisio Region of Italy. LIFE SPAN’s main goal is to develop and test management solutions that help guarantee forest biodiversity conservation with a focus on saproxylic species. Central tool is the creation of a Saproxylic Habitat Network that increases the connectivity between Natura 2000 sites and/or other protected areas. In this way it creates Saproxylic Habitat Sites (SHS) that are embedded within production forests.

Together with the LifeSpan team, Andreas set up three marteloscopes in the two target regions: Cansiglio Forest (Italy) and in the University Forest of Sailershausen near Würzburg (Germany). The sites are used for training forest managers and other target groups all around tree related microhabitats, deadwood, and management concepts towards habitat creation for wood dwelling species.

The conference took part in the ‘Hangar Cansiglio’ – a former Cold War-era NATO missile base that now serves as a museum, environmental educational centre, and conference facility. “Quite an exceptional location for a conference!”, says Andreas. The overnight was spent in the Refugio Vallorch, giving participants the impression that what would await the next day would be climbing a mountain rather than partaking in an intense conference day and programme.

Andreas gave two presentations: one on silvicultural tools for integrated forest management, a second on how to use marteloscopes in training with focus on conservations aspects. All presentations should become available in due time. They display exciting outcomes around the topic of managing and monitoring species related to deadwood. On the second day, an excursion took place to the beautiful Cansiglio forest, in particular, an SHS site which includes a well-designed educational path for the general public.

Curious to learn more? Access the conference programme here and read a short recap here.

Besides that, Andreas can really recommend the guidelines “forest management for saproxylic biodiversity” which contain a lot of practice information on how to in practice enhance saproxylic biodiversity in managed forests and monitor success. The guide also includes a chapter related to the three LIFE SPAN demonstration sites.

Picture credits: Andreas Schuck, EFI