Les reboisements en cèdre de l’Atlas en Sicile

Atlas cedar plantations in Sicily Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) has been widely diffused in reforestation in Europe, particularly in France. In Italy, the Atlas cedar covers about 2600 ha. This paper examines 7 cedar plantations in Sicily, in the various typical condition of the island, evaluating their dendrometric characters in order to estimate productivity and growth capacity. The results show that this specie is both highly suitable for wood production, and has a landscape restoration role in difficult ecological conditions such as the Mediterranean mountain environment is. The stands production is comparable with the better results reported for the French plantations. Some cultivation advices in order to better manage these stands and locally assure natural regeneration are also addressed. Keys words : Cedrus atlantica, plantations, afforestation, exotic species, forest production.