• Energy Research

This article presents a quantitative review of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) at the regional scale in Europe. A text mining approach was applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords extracted from articles in the Scopus database. Different investigations, such as concept mapping and specificity analyses of textual corpus, were performed. Our search yielded a massive number of NWFP-related papers. Specifically, research was distributed in different countries, being more prevalent in the Mediterranean and Scandinavian contexts. Several NWFPs were analyzed, with mushrooms, resin, cork, and other forest fruit being the most common ones. Local socioeconomic improvement was one of the major aspects investigated in scientific literature. The proposed methodology applies specific scripts that can be updated, and the output of the present research can be compared with that of the future works. For instance, interest trends of products and methods can be investigated, and gap analyses performed. Finally, the potential implications of this review for researchers and stakeholders are discussed.

In Italy, black pine has been largely used in reforestation projects in the past. Most of these reforestations are characterized by a high instability, vulnerability, and a limited resistance to atmospheric agents. In this situation, it is crucial to define silvicultural interventions able to increase the ecological stability of black pine stands and at the same time to guarantee the economic sustainability of the wood products obtained. Thinning in black pine forests can provide wood material for energy use. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the economic sustainability of a local wood-energy supply chain applying three different forest management options. The case study was Monte Morello forest, a degraded black pine forest located in Central Italy. The results show that the long-term economic sustainability of the wood-energy supply chain is ensured only when the use of bio-fuel is characterized by high energy efficiency. In addition, the results show that public contributions are fundamental to ensure that silvicultural interventions are realized with a positive economic balance and that to surmount this situation many loggings companies are organizing. Finally, the results highlighted the importance of the quantities of thermal energy sold to ensure the economic and environmental efficiency of the wood-energy supply chain.

Abstract The European Community is dedicating a growing effort towards the development of renewable energy resources market and in particular to bio-fuels. General public is now aware green biomass represents a local renewable resource, which is widely available on the territory and exploitable under environmentally sustainable criteria for an ecologically sound economic development. Generally, the problem is to evaluate where to concentrate the institutional action for the promotion of the renewable energy sector. The goal of this paper is to develop a methodology able to analyse the feasibility of the biomass energy chain. In particular, we have analysed two aspects: the availability of resources and the enterprise structures. While the first aspect is tied to the local situation (forest and agricultural areas), the second aspect has a general relevance for the Italian mountain context.

The aim of the study is directed to define medium-long term political strategies that focus on the qualitative and quantitative improvement of the Tuscany wood productions, at the same time guaranteeing a profitability to the forest workers , as well as revitalization of the quality woods productions. The proposal approach is based on a dynamic SWOT-AHP analysis: the criteria of the analysis have been examined considering three different situations: the existing one, medium and long term scenarios. This integrated application led to the definition of extremely efficacious strategic analyses. In this case the formalization through a dynamic model, able to quantify the relevance of each component, gives to the final beneficiaries an exhaustive tool for territorial planning. Lo scopo dello studio e diretto a definire delle strategie di medio-lungo termine che si concentrano sul miglioramento qualitativo e quantitativo delle produzioni di legno della Toscana, garantendo una redditivita ai lavoratori forestali e la rivitalizzazione dei boschi di qualita . L’approccio proposto si basa su una SWOT dinamica e analisi gerarchica: i criteri dell’analisi SWOT-AHP sono stati esaminati in considerazione tre diverse situazioni: quella esistente, di medio e di lungo termine. L’applicazione ha portato alla definizione di analisi strategiche estremamente efficaci. In questo caso l’utilizzo di un modello dinamico, in grado di quantificare la rilevanza di ciascun componente, conferisce ai beneficiari finali uno strumento esaustivo per la pianificazione territoriale.

Using spatial econometric techniques and local spatial statistics, this study explores the relationships between the real estate values in Tuscany with the individual perception of satisfaction by landscape types. The analysis includes the usual territorial variables such as proximity to urban centres and roads. The landscape values are measured through a sample of respondents who expressed their aesthetic-visual perceptions of different types of land use. Results from a multivariate local Geary highlight that house prices are not spatial independent and that between the variables included in the analysis there is mainly a positive correlation. Specifically, the findings demonstrate a significant spatial dependence in real estate prices. The aesthetic values influence the real estate price throughout more a spatial indirect effect rather than the direct effect. Practically, house prices in specific areas are more influenced by aspects such as proximity to essential services. The results seem to show to live close to highly aesthetic environments not in these environments. The results relating to the distance from the main roads, however, seem counterintuitive. This result probably depends on the evidence that these areas suffer from greater traffic jam or pollution or they are preferred for alternative uses such as for locating industrial plants or big shopping centres rather than residential use. Therefore, these effects decrease house prices.