Digitalization challenges in operational forestry: evidence from a stakeholder survey in Italy

Digitalization is increasingly recognized as a major driver of innovation in the forestry sector. However, the adoption of digital technologies remains uneven, particularly in structurally fragmented forestry systems such as those found in Southern Europe. This study aims to analyze and discuss stakeholders’ expectations, perceived barriers, and opportunities related to the adoption of digital technologies in Italian operational forestry, based on a participatory process that included a webinar, an online questionnaire, and a focus group, engaging a broad range of forestry stakeholders. Because the survey relied on a voluntary, non-probability sample, the findings should be interpreted as reflecting the perceptions and priorities of the surveyed stakeholders rather than as statistically representative estimates of the entire Italian forestry sector. The results reveal a growing interest in digital technologies across all operational domains, particularly in GIS-based decision support systems, remote sensing, product traceability, and precision harvesting. Nevertheless, stakeholders identified several persistent barriers, including high investment costs, limited interoperability among systems, insufficient digital skills, and weak connectivity in rural and mountainous areas. Training emerged as the most critical enabling factor, often considered even more important than direct investment in technologies. Overall, the evidence suggests that digitalization cannot advance without systematic investment in human capital, interoperability, and shared information infrastructures. Tools such as knowledge hubs, communities of practice, and targeted training programs may play a key role in bridging the gap between technological availability and operational implementation. Although rooted in the Italian context, the insights provided by this study offer relevant indications for digitalization policies and practices across Southern European countries and in forestry systems characterized by fragmented ownership structures and heterogeneous operational conditions.