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A comprehensive insight into the geography of forest cover in Italy: Exploring the importance of socioeconomic local contexts

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  • Ferrara, Carlotta
  • Carlucci, Margherita
  • Grigoriadis, Efstathios
  • Corona, Piermaria
  • Salvati, Luca

Abstract

Forest cover is a key attribute of local communities and affects the spatial organization of any given region. Changes in forest cover are influenced by spatially-varying biophysical and anthropogenic factors mainly associated with urban-rural, coastal-inland and elevation gradients. The present study investigates the relationship between the socioeconomic structure of local communities and selected indicators of forest landscape in Italy, including change in forest area over time (2000−2012), using an exploratory multivariate analysis based on principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering and discriminant analysis. We assess the importance of socio-spatial structures, economic dynamics and demographic patterns in the geography of forest cover, expansion and loss, considering 149 statistical indicators that are used to evaluate the multiple dimensions of sustainable development. The results point to agriculture, income, education and labour market indicators as a key predictors of contexts with high forest cover and moderate changes in forest area (both gain and loss) from those with low forest cover and marked changes in forest area. High forest cover in rural districts was spatially associated with local communities featuring depopulation, unemployment, low educational levels and subsistence agriculture. These factors consolidate land abandonment and soil erosion. The highest rate of change in forest area was observed in economically-growing, accessible local contexts with dynamic socio-demographic profiles. Integrated environmental and socioeconomic policies for sustainable development are required to incorporate forest cover and changes in wooded area as pivotal variables and may benefit from a better understanding of the role of local communities in forest management.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferrara, Carlotta & Carlucci, Margherita & Grigoriadis, Efstathios & Corona, Piermaria & Salvati, Luca, 2017. "A comprehensive insight into the geography of forest cover in Italy: Exploring the importance of socioeconomic local contexts," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 12-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:75:y:2017:i:c:p:12-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2016.11.008
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    Cited by:

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    11. Rosanna Salvia & Pere Serra & Ilaria Zambon & Massimo Cecchini & Luca Salvati, 2018. "In-Between Sprawl and Neo-Rurality: Sparse Settlements and the Evolution of Socio-Demographic Local Context in a Mediterranean Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    12. Sallustio, Lorenzo & Harfouche, Antoine L. & Salvati, Luca & Marchetti, Marco & Corona, Piermaria, 2022. "Evaluating the potential of marginal lands available for sustainable cellulosic biofuel production in Italy," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PB).
    13. Forleo Maria Bonaventura & Giaccio Vincenzo & Giannelli Agostino & Mastronardi Luigi & Palmieri Nadia, 2017. "Socio-Economic Drivers, Land Cover Changes and the Dynamics of Rural Settlements: Mt. Matese Area (Italy)," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 9(3), pages 435-457, September.
    14. Rosanna Salvia & Gianluca Egidi & Luca Salvati & Jesús Rodrigo-Comino & Giovanni Quaranta, 2020. "In-Between ‘Smart’ Urban Growth and ‘Sluggish’ Rural Development? Reframing Population Dynamics in Greece, 1940–2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-18, July.
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