PB-PINE

The current increase in large forest fires constitutes a serious ecological and socio-economic threat, particularly in mountain regions. Extreme weather conditions and large continuous accumulation of dry fuels intensify the difficulty of suppressing wildfires; therefore, the fuel treatments can be a crucial tool in reducing the potential fire severity.

Prescribed burning (PB) is a widespread management technique based on planned application of fire to manage understory fuels in forests and mitigate the wildfire hazard. Although PB has important impacts on regulating grasslands, controlling pests and diseases, improving wildlife habitats, we still know little about the actual impacts of PB treatment on plant-soil system.

The aims of PB-PINE are: i) to analyze the ecological sustainability of the burning treatment, ii) to investigate the tolerance of P. sylvestris species and underlying soil to the application of low and high PB intensities and iii) to establish the most efficient prescriptions in terms of reduction of wildfire hazard, maximization of surface fuel reduction, and minimization of tree-soil damage.

A PB treatment, consisting of two levels of fire intensity, was carried out in May 2022 in a highly flammable P. sylvestris L. alpine montane forest stand located in Val Susa, Southwestern Italian Alps.

Plant hydraulic functionality and xylem anatomy as well as soil chemical-biological properties are monitored throughout a whole year.

The results obtained by PB-Pine will contribute to the understanding of the impacts of fire treatment and its severity on tree survival and plant-soil system status, thus contributing to the correct management of PB prescriptions.

Project coordinator: Francesca Secchi

Partners:

· Prof. Davide Ascoli Ascoli Davide, DISAFA, University of Turin

· Prof.ssa Eleonora Bonifacio, DISAFA, University of Turin

Project start 1 October 2022, duration 18 months

Financial support:

Cassa di Risparmio di Torino Foundation