Giorgio Vacchiano
Biographic Data
| ID | 109516 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Giorgio Vacchiano |
| GIVEN NAMES | Giorgio |
| FAMILY NAME | Vacchiano |
| SIGNATURE | VACCHIANO G |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Milan |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8100-0659 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Eating nature
International trade in food commodities is a major driver of global biodiversity loss through the conversion of forests to agriculture. Yet existing deforestation metrics often fail to capture the full ecological consequences. We introduce a Biodiversity Risk indicator that weights deforested hectares by species vulnerability and endemism, offering a more nuanced assessment of biodiversity impacts from agricultural expansion into forests. Linking…
Decarbonization through wood-based building material substitution in mountain territories
Forests are vital for mountain regions, offering both ecological and economic benefits. Using timber in construction can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing high-emission materials like concrete and steel, though the long-term impact of this substitution – especially amid broader economic decarbonization – remains uncertain. We analyzed how replacing mineral-framed with locally sourced timber-framed homes in Valle Camonica and Valtellina…
Stakeholders' perception about forest fires in the Alpine region
Climate change has increased wildfire pressure in the European Alps, yet a common understanding of fire regimes and coordinated fire management strategies remains lacking. This study analyzes the perceptions of three stakeholder groups in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. An online survey and a forest fire workshop for experts were conducted to obtain different perceptions regarding the key factors and tre…
The role of social, policy and economic forces in shaping forest restoration practices in Europe
Forest restoration in Europe has a complex history strongly influenced by various social, policy and economic factors. Understanding these influences is essential for shaping effective restoration strategies and avoiding past mistakes, particularly in light of meeting ambitious targets outlined in initiatives such as the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. Here we identify the key social, policy and economic drivers, barriers and enablers that have…
The 10th anniversary of the Paris agreement on climate
The contribution of interventions for mitigation of climate change in different sectors has been evaluated by IPCC in their 6th report (AR6) and by the International Energy Agency (IEA), among others. However, these scientific evaluations have not been translated into a systematic, overall appraisal, that combines the few quantified targets, such as greenhouse gas emissions and temperature trajectories, with broader but less quantified dimensions…
Can triad forestry reconcile Europe’s biodiversity and forestry strategies? A critical evaluation of forest zoning
Balancing increasing demand for wood products while also maintaining forest biodiversity is a paramount challenge. Europe’s Biodiversity and Forest Strategies for 2030 attempt to address this challenge. Together, they call for strict protection of 10% of land area, including all primary and old growth forests, increasing use of ecological forestry, and less reliance on monocultural plantations. Using data on country wide silvicultural practices a…
Biocultural Diversity in Italy
As an initial step in more extensive research into the links between biological and cultural diversity in present-day Italy, we reviewed Biocultural Diversity studies that explore the relationship between biological and cultural patterns of diversity to determine whether any direct causal relationships or common drivers could be inferred. We found no significant attempts to quantitatively measure biocultural diversity in the country as a whole. I…
Contrasting responses of forest growth and carbon sequestration to heat and drought in the Alps
Climate change is expected to increase both the frequency and the intensity of climate extremes, consequently increasing the risk of forest role transition from carbon sequestration to carbon emission. These changes are occurring more rapidly in the Alps, with important consequences for tree species adapted to strong climate seasonality and short growing season. In this study, we aimed at investigating the responses of a high-altitude Larix decid…
The role of beliefs, expectations and values in decision-making favoring climate change adaptation—implications for communications with European forest professionals
Beliefs, expectations and values are often assumed to drive decisions about climate change adaptation. We tested hypotheses based on this assumption using survey responses from 508 European forest professionals in ten countries. We used the survey results to identify communication needs and the decision strategies at play, and to develop guidelines on adequate communications about climate change adaptation. We observed polarization in the positiv…
Inconsistent recognition of uncertainty in studies of climate change impacts on forests
Background. Uncertainty about climate change impacts on forests can hinder mitigation and adaptation actions. Scientific enquiry typically involves assessments of uncertainties, yet different uncertainty components emerge in different studies. Consequently, inconsistent understanding of uncertainty among different climate impact studies (from the impact analysis to implementing solutions) can be an additional reason for delaying action. In this r…
Assessing the Effect of Disturbances on the Functionality of Direct Protection Forests
Forests provide direct protection to human settlements from hydrogeomorphic hazards. This paper proposes a method for assessing the effect of natural disturbances on the functionality of direct protection forests (DPFs) in order to prioritize management interventions. We georeferenced disturbance data for wildfires, wind and snow damage, avalanches, and insects and overlaid them to a region-wide DPF map. Within each disturbance polygon, we used a…
Can triad forestry reconcile Europe’s biodiversity and forestry strategies? A critical evaluation of forest zoning
Balancing increasing demand for wood products while also maintaining forest biodiversity is a paramount challenge. Europe’s Biodiversity and Forest Strategies for 2030 attempt to address this challenge. Together, they call for strict protection of 10% of land area, including all primary and old growth forests, increasing use of ecological forestry, and less reliance on monocultural plantations. Using data on country wide silvicultural practices a…
Biocultural Diversity in Italy
As an initial step in more extensive research into the links between biological and cultural diversity in present-day Italy, we reviewed Biocultural Diversity studies that explore the relationship between biological and cultural patterns of diversity to determine whether any direct causal relationships or common drivers could be inferred. We found no significant attempts to quantitatively measure biocultural diversity in the country as a whole. I…
Assessing the Effect of Disturbances on the Functionality of Direct Protection Forests
Forests provide direct protection to human settlements from hydrogeomorphic hazards. This paper proposes a method for assessing the effect of natural disturbances on the functionality of direct protection forests (DPFs) in order to prioritize management interventions. We georeferenced disturbance data for wildfires, wind and snow damage, avalanches, and insects and overlaid them to a region-wide DPF map. Within each disturbance polygon, we used a…
Inconsistent recognition of uncertainty in studies of climate change impacts on forests
Background. Uncertainty about climate change impacts on forests can hinder mitigation and adaptation actions. Scientific enquiry typically involves assessments of uncertainties, yet different uncertainty components emerge in different studies. Consequently, inconsistent understanding of uncertainty among different climate impact studies (from the impact analysis to implementing solutions) can be an additional reason for delaying action. In this r…
The role of beliefs, expectations and values in decision-making favoring climate change adaptation—implications for communications with European forest professionals
Beliefs, expectations and values are often assumed to drive decisions about climate change adaptation. We tested hypotheses based on this assumption using survey responses from 508 European forest professionals in ten countries. We used the survey results to identify communication needs and the decision strategies at play, and to develop guidelines on adequate communications about climate change adaptation. We observed polarization in the positiv…
Contrasting responses of forest growth and carbon sequestration to heat and drought in the Alps
Climate change is expected to increase both the frequency and the intensity of climate extremes, consequently increasing the risk of forest role transition from carbon sequestration to carbon emission. These changes are occurring more rapidly in the Alps, with important consequences for tree species adapted to strong climate seasonality and short growing season. In this study, we aimed at investigating the responses of a high-altitude Larix decid…
Biocultural Diversity in Italy
As an initial step in more extensive research into the links between biological and cultural diversity in present-day Italy, we reviewed Biocultural Diversity studies that explore the relationship between biological and cultural patterns of diversity to determine whether any direct causal relationships or common drivers could be inferred. We found no significant attempts to quantitatively measure biocultural diversity in the country as a whole. I…
The 10th anniversary of the Paris agreement on climate
The contribution of interventions for mitigation of climate change in different sectors has been evaluated by IPCC in their 6th report (AR6) and by the International Energy Agency (IEA), among others. However, these scientific evaluations have not been translated into a systematic, overall appraisal, that combines the few quantified targets, such as greenhouse gas emissions and temperature trajectories, with broader but less quantified dimensions…
Can triad forestry reconcile Europe’s biodiversity and forestry strategies? A critical evaluation of forest zoning
Balancing increasing demand for wood products while also maintaining forest biodiversity is a paramount challenge. Europe’s Biodiversity and Forest Strategies for 2030 attempt to address this challenge. Together, they call for strict protection of 10% of land area, including all primary and old growth forests, increasing use of ecological forestry, and less reliance on monocultural plantations. Using data on country wide silvicultural practices a…
Eating nature
International trade in food commodities is a major driver of global biodiversity loss through the conversion of forests to agriculture. Yet existing deforestation metrics often fail to capture the full ecological consequences. We introduce a Biodiversity Risk indicator that weights deforested hectares by species vulnerability and endemism, offering a more nuanced assessment of biodiversity impacts from agricultural expansion into forests. Linking…
Decarbonization through wood-based building material substitution in mountain territories
Forests are vital for mountain regions, offering both ecological and economic benefits. Using timber in construction can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing high-emission materials like concrete and steel, though the long-term impact of this substitution – especially amid broader economic decarbonization – remains uncertain. We analyzed how replacing mineral-framed with locally sourced timber-framed homes in Valle Camonica and Valtellina…
Stakeholders' perception about forest fires in the Alpine region
Climate change has increased wildfire pressure in the European Alps, yet a common understanding of fire regimes and coordinated fire management strategies remains lacking. This study analyzes the perceptions of three stakeholder groups in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. An online survey and a forest fire workshop for experts were conducted to obtain different perceptions regarding the key factors and tre…
The role of social, policy and economic forces in shaping forest restoration practices in Europe
Forest restoration in Europe has a complex history strongly influenced by various social, policy and economic factors. Understanding these influences is essential for shaping effective restoration strategies and avoiding past mistakes, particularly in light of meeting ambitious targets outlined in initiatives such as the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. Here we identify the key social, policy and economic drivers, barriers and enablers that have…
Climate change (5 works) · Ecology (5 works) · Forest Management and Policy (5 works) · Environmental Science (4 works) · Environmental resource management (3 works) · Fire effects on ecosystems (3 works) · Geography (3 works) · Biology (2 works) · Computer Science (2 works) · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management (2 works)