As part of the wide-ranging programme of “Fiera & Festival Foreste 2021”, the European LIFE VAIA project (acronym for Valuing Afforestation of damaged woods with Innovative Agroforestry) kicked off. Introduced by Maurizio Malè of Venetian Cluster, Project Manager, LIFE VAIA focuses on the adaptation of forest areas to extreme weather events by implementing innovative agroforestry concepts.
The innovative approach is based on ‘temporary’ agroforestry measures (15/20 years) until the forest trees grow, and is aimed at preserving the ecosystem, protecting biodiversity and developing production chains, particularly in the areas of beekeeping and small fruits for processing. The main objective of the project is to develop and enhance sustainable products and services in forest areas destroyed by natural events, thereby increasing the ecological, economic and social resilience of forest ecosystems in order to cope with climate change.
The five-year project, with a budget of almost 6 million euro, is led by the Rigoni di Asiago company and includes the partners Veneto Agricoltura, University of Padua-Department of Territory and Agro-Forestry Systems (TESAF); Edmund Mach Foundation (Tn); Municipality of Asiago; Municipality of Gallio; Association Française d’Agroforesterie (France); World Biodiversity Association (WBA); Longarone Fiere Dolomiti; University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and, indeed, Venetian Cluster. France, Spain, Italy (Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige) are the leaders of an operation that can, in a nutshell, reconstruct, in areas hit by natural disasters, the forest cover with plant species and varieties better suited to today’s and future climates. The LIFE VAIA project represents an important opportunity for the Veneto region, which will see the fallout of 3.5 million euros, resources that will be used to repair the damage suffered by the VAIA storm at the end of 2018 and be an example that can be transferred to the countries of the European Union.
After the speech by Andrea Rigoni, Ceo of Rigoni di Asiago on the private contribution to improve the forest economy through innovative ideas, it was the turn of Giustino Mezzalira, Director “Research and Agro-Forestry Management” of Veneto Agricoltura.
“Recovering forests after disasters through new methodologies for future sustainability is our precise duty. We cannot afford to lose a heritage that is part not only of our history but that of the whole world. LIFE VAIA is a more unique than rare opportunity to confront each other outside our borders and find biocompatible and zero-impact solutions to return to nature what a devastating meteorological event such as Vaia has done. The project will also allow us to more accurately monitor the possibility of environmental catastrophes due to climate change with a timeframe that can enable us to intervene promptly”. The project will involve all partners until 2026. In the hope that more will be added to protect our forest and woodland heritage.
Andrea RigoniFiera & Festival Foreste 2021Giustino MezzaliraLife VaiaLongarone FiereMaurizio MalèRigoni di AsiagoVenetian Cluster
