Monte Rufeno LAZ1 - Italy

Monte Rufeno LAZ1 is a monitoring plot within Mediterranean Forests LTER Italy site (parent site); it belongs to the Italian branch of the ICP Forests Network and it has been included in LTER Europe since 2007. Monte Rufeno (690 m asl) is part of the typical hilly landscape of northern Lazio, which suffered intense exploitation in the past by man. The dominant tree species is the oak (Quercus cerris L.). For a long time and up until the 1960s, the extensive oak woods were subjected to coppice cutting for the production of firewood. With the interruption of the practice of the cut, the forest stands have suffered a progressive aging and present themselves today as predominantly monospecific woods and monoplanes. There are also reforestations of conifers. Peculiarities of the territory are the water richness and the accentuated dynamism linked to the landslides. Monte Rufeno LAZ1 has been active as a monitoring plot since 1995. Data collection is carried out in collaboration with several organizations and universities. The research site is included in the Monte Rufeno Regional Natural Reserve.