Project LIFE11 ENV/IT/0002215 ResilForMed - Resilience of Mediterranean Forests to Climate Change

Forest and pre-forest ecosystems of Sicily are characterized by a high structural simplification and fragility, reduced species diversity, high density, pest and diseases that are expected to worsen according to the ongoing anthropogenic climate change. In this work we present the achievements of the project LIFE ResilForMed (Resilience of Mediterranean Forests to climate change), as Sicilian response on adaptation and mitigation to climate change. ResilForMed project is co-funded by the LIFE Initiative (2007-2014) and started June 1st 2012 with an expected conclusion on June 30th 2017. The project consortium involves: (i) the Department of Rural and Land Development of the Sicilian Region, (ii) the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences of University of Palermo, the D.R.E.Am Italia and the Forest Service of the Sicilian Region. The key results of the project are: (1) map of Sensitivity forest areas to desertification of Sicily; (2) list of bird indicators showing sensitivity to desertification in Sicily; (3) set of indicators aimed to assess the resilience of Mediterranean forests to climate changes; (4) list of sporadic and endemic tree species of Sicilian forests; (5) development of five forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) suitable to improve or consolidate the resilience of Sicilian forest ecosystems; (6) implementation of BMPs in a set of forest interventions on 120 hectares of forest areas in Sicily as a showcase; (7) development of 6 Pilot Forest Plans with participatory approach for the actual implementation of a resilience based forest management; (8) training of the regional forest service personnel, seminars and info days for key regional stakeholders; (9) transfer of project results into the new Regional Forest Plan is the most important and straightforward action currently under implementation. The monitoring protocols and approaches, the guidelines and planning methods defined by the project will became part of the new Regional Forest Plan. ResilForMed is at the forefront of developing knowhow and transferable best management practices that may help Mediterranean forests to adapt to climate change and thereby safeguard their multifunctional benefits for future generations.