Managing complexity: A new forum for forest governance in Italy

In June 2026, FSC Italy hosted the inaugural General Assembly of Italian Forests at the Presidential Estate in Castelporziano. Forest managers, owners, national and local institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of responsible forest management. 

The impacts of climate change have revealed the interconnectedness of people and places, with far-reaching consequences spreading through social and natural networks. That same interconnectedness applies to preparing for and responding to climate change, especially when it comes to the governance, ownership, and sustainable management of forests worldwide. Safeguarding our forests requires effective coordination among multiple interconnected stakeholders. 

This spirit of unity was a guiding principle for the General Assembly of Italian Forests, a new regular event organized by FSC Italy. The event took place in the symbolic setting of the Castelporziano Presidential Estate – one of the most significant forest areas in the Lazio region – and coincided with both World Environment Day and the 25th anniversary of FSC Italy's foundation. 

The Castelporziano Presidential Estate achieved FSC certification in 2025. Giulia Bonella, Director of the estate, was proud to host the meeting.

 “Accepting FSC Italy’s proposal to host the General Assembly of Italian Forests during World Environment Day consolidates a shared path and encourages us to build a long-term vision together,” she said. 

Italy is home to 11 million hectares of forests, about 27% of the country’s land area. The area has grown steadily since the end of World War II, primarily as a result of depopulation and subsequent abandonment of inland rural areas. Currently, only about 10% of forests are managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic sustainability criteria.  

From institutional reach to grassroots participation 

The theme of this inaugural Assembly was Managing Complexity, chosen to address the contemporary challenges of handling increasing pressures on vulnerable forest ecosystems while building the resilience of local communities through a shared vision. Official institutional sessions, where representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests and national NGOs like WWF shared their visions for future woodlands, were interspersed with community-driven moments. For example, during the Stories from the Woods session, nine FSC-certified forest managers and owners presented their management models and offered practical insights from their firsthand experiences. 

“This first edition of our General Assembly of Italian Forests represents a turning point for certified forest management in Italy,” noted Maria Rita Gallozzi, President of FSC Italy. 

She described the event as both a marker of FSC’s 25 years in the country and an opportunity to plan ahead amid what she called the “climatic, social, economic and political complexities” facing Italian forestry.  

During the event, FSC Italy signed an agreement with the Italian Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves (Federparchi) to establish a working relationship between forest certification bodies and protected natural areas.   

The Assembly offered an example of how to convene a fragmented sector around a shared table, bringing together institutional reach and grassroots participation. 

Women in Italian forests  

The Assembly closed with a presentation from Rete Donne Foreste (Women in Forests Network), an association that represents women in the Italian forestry sector. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, around 77,600 women work in forestry. Although they make up nearly 21% of the sector's total workforce, that figure is below the European average.  

“Closing these gaps is not just a matter of equity; it is a profound opportunity to guide the ecological transition and our country toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and shared path,” said Giuseppe Bonanno, Director of FSC Italy. 

“The question of gender is an example of the many ways in which sustainable forestry management requires us to consider interconnectedness,” he added. “This first meeting of the General Assembly of Italian Forests started us on that path, and I look forward to future assemblies with hope.”