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Key message Natural and anthropogenic pressures, combined with frequent extreme events driven by climate change, are altering the dynamics of forest ecosystems. As a result, social needs, forest policies, and forest management require precise and reliable information that can be obtained through forest monitoring, including national forest inventories (NFIs). In this context, the new Italian NFI introduces multiple innovations: During the preliminary stages of the new NFI, strategy and procedure developments were based on the needs and suggestions of various stakeholders through an effective participatory approach. Transitioning from periodic to annual estimates of forest attributes and their changes has been deemed essential for assessing the effects of increasingly frequent large-scale disturbances, such as major wildfires and extreme weather events. Partial integration with other monitoring programs, such as ICP Forests, has proven beneficial. Given the global climate change and biodiversity loss challenges, dedicated surveys have become essential for enhancing our understanding of forest ecosystem components. The use of remotely sensed data for mapping forest variables as a component of the new NFI (i.e., enhanced NFI) plays a key role in supporting policymakers. Data collected at tree level or aggregated at plot level will be made available, and plot coordinates may be released for scientific purposes and research projects, subject to case-by-case evaluation. The planned updates and modifications in the new forest inventory are outlined. Additionally, these innovations are discussed to support similar national and international advancements, focusing on modernizing forest inventory methods while balancing established best practices with innovation.
D’Amico et al. (Thu,) studied this question.