Mountain Lab
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to equip students with the elements for understanding, predicting and quantifying natural hazards in mountain environments (such as forest fires, rockfall and avalanches, shallow landslides and debris flows); for designing risk mitigation activities, in particular by strengthening the protective role of forests; and for carrying out a cost-benefit assessment of risk reduction activities.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student should:
- be able to analyze the ecological processes in the main types of mountain forests.
- be able to interpret forest planning documents.
- know how to measure and quantify the effectiveness of the protective function of forests against rockfall and avalanches.
- be able to assess the danger related to forest fires.
- know how to formulate management decisions to increase the resistance and resilience of forests to natural hazards.
- know how to locate intervention priorities.
- know how to interpret and draw up the main lines of a plan for safeguarding the territory from hydrogeological risk and forest fires.
- be able to analyse the main natural hazards in mountain areas, and to draw up the relative risk maps.
- know how to apply the main methods to assess the characteristics of soils and snow in mountain areas.
- know how to apply the tools for preventing and mitigating the risk deriving from erosion and movements of the snowpack, both slow (snow gliding) and fast (avalanches).
- know how to apply the main methods of assessing externalities (contingent assessment, choice modeling).
- know how to set up a cost / benefit analysis extended to environmental components.
- be able to analyze the ecological processes in the main types of mountain forests.
- be able to interpret forest planning documents.
- know how to measure and quantify the effectiveness of the protective function of forests against rockfall and avalanches.
- be able to assess the danger related to forest fires.
- know how to formulate management decisions to increase the resistance and resilience of forests to natural hazards.
- know how to locate intervention priorities.
- know how to interpret and draw up the main lines of a plan for safeguarding the territory from hydrogeological risk and forest fires.
- be able to analyse the main natural hazards in mountain areas, and to draw up the relative risk maps.
- know how to apply the main methods to assess the characteristics of soils and snow in mountain areas.
- know how to apply the tools for preventing and mitigating the risk deriving from erosion and movements of the snowpack, both slow (snow gliding) and fast (avalanches).
- know how to apply the main methods of assessing externalities (contingent assessment, choice modeling).
- know how to set up a cost / benefit analysis extended to environmental components.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Lectures will be carried out partly in person and partly online (using the Microsoft Teams platform), according to the calendar and the indications published by the University. The lessons will be recorded and made available on the Ariel website or MS Teams appo. The exercises will take place online, partly asynchronously (guided by material loaded on Ariel) and partly synchronously, to instruct students on the use of relevant software (via screen sharing) and critically discuss publications and scientific reports of interest (via the Microsoft Teams platform).
Information on the organization of lessons and how to access Microsoft Teams and any other information on teaching will be available on the ARIEL and Teams website of the course: we recommend that you consult regularly. Based on the evolution of the epidemic and in compliance with the relevant regulations, it will be possible to modify the modalities of the activities planned in the classroom, informing the students via ARIEL.
Information on the organization of lessons and how to access Microsoft Teams and any other information on teaching will be available on the ARIEL and Teams website of the course: we recommend that you consult regularly. Based on the evolution of the epidemic and in compliance with the relevant regulations, it will be possible to modify the modalities of the activities planned in the classroom, informing the students via ARIEL.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The grade will consist of 60% of a forestry project to reduce the risk of fires, avalanches and / or hydrogeological (0-18 points), which will be sent by the student before the date of the exam. The evaluation criteria are: effectiveness and completeness of the silvicultural project, correctness of calculations and maps, correct use of simulation tools, completeness of cost / benefit evaluation. The other 40% of the grade (0-12 points) will be assigned during an oral interview lasting 40 minutes on the topics of the program of all teaching modules. The interview can be held on MS Teams if the health conditions require it.
Gestione sostenibile delle foreste di montagna
Course syllabus
- Mountain forests: types, dynamics and ecosystem services (0.5 CFU)
- Elements of sustainable forest management: forest management systems and regeneration mode (0.5 CFU)
- Elements of forest planning at regional, catchment and ownership scale (0.5 CFU)
- Forests for protection from rockfall and avalanches: identification, characteristics and sustainable management (0.5 CFU)
- Forests fires: causes, effects, recovery processes (0.5 CFU)
- Elements of forest fire prevention and planning (0.5 CFU)
- Lab and field trip: mapping and structural survey of protection forests, evaluation of protective efficacy, simulation of natural hazards and proposal for silvicultural intervention (1 CFU)
- Lab and field trip: characterization of flammable vegetation, simulation of fire behavior, and preliminary design of wildfire prevention interventions (1 CFU)
- Elements of sustainable forest management: forest management systems and regeneration mode (0.5 CFU)
- Elements of forest planning at regional, catchment and ownership scale (0.5 CFU)
- Forests for protection from rockfall and avalanches: identification, characteristics and sustainable management (0.5 CFU)
- Forests fires: causes, effects, recovery processes (0.5 CFU)
- Elements of forest fire prevention and planning (0.5 CFU)
- Lab and field trip: mapping and structural survey of protection forests, evaluation of protective efficacy, simulation of natural hazards and proposal for silvicultural intervention (1 CFU)
- Lab and field trip: characterization of flammable vegetation, simulation of fire behavior, and preliminary design of wildfire prevention interventions (1 CFU)
Teaching methods
Lectures in virtual mode (MS Teams, 24 hours), one field trip (municipalities of Chiuro and Sondrio) with field surveys (8 hours), exercises in virtual guided mode (MS Teams, 10 hours) for the use of simulation tools, asynchronous lab activities guided by the teacher (videos recorded or material loaded on Ariel) and carried out by students for the preparation of the exam project (14 hours).
Attendance is strongly recommended. All lectures will be recorded and made available to students on the Ariel and MS Teams platform. The methods and criteria for participating to face-to-face lessons, which require booking a seating in the lecture room with a special app, will be published in time on the Ariel pages of the course, as well as all the above material and notices relating to any update related to the evolution of the legislation imposed by Covid-19.
Attendance is strongly recommended. All lectures will be recorded and made available to students on the Ariel and MS Teams platform. The methods and criteria for participating to face-to-face lessons, which require booking a seating in the lecture room with a special app, will be published in time on the Ariel pages of the course, as well as all the above material and notices relating to any update related to the evolution of the legislation imposed by Covid-19.
Teaching Resources
- Selvicoltura in foreste di protezione (Regione Piemonte e Regione Valle d'Aosta, 2006). Available on http://www.regione.piemonte.it/foreste/images/files/pubblicazioni/selvicoltura_foreste_protez.pdf
- Strumenti e modelli a supporto della pianificazione, prevenzione e difesa dagli incendi boschivi (Università di Sassari, 2015). Available on http://www.proterina.info/wp-content/uploads/prodotti_doc/31_P261.pdf
- Gestione selvicolturale dei combustibili forestali per la prevenzione degli incendi boschivi (Compagnia delle Foreste, 2014). On sale at https://www.ecoalleco.it/gestione/gestione-selvicolturale-dei-combustibili-forestali-per-la-prevenzione-degli-incendi-boschivi-168.html
- Material shared by the teacher on the Ariel page of the course
Non-italian speaking students will have to contact the teacher for materials in English.
- Strumenti e modelli a supporto della pianificazione, prevenzione e difesa dagli incendi boschivi (Università di Sassari, 2015). Available on http://www.proterina.info/wp-content/uploads/prodotti_doc/31_P261.pdf
- Gestione selvicolturale dei combustibili forestali per la prevenzione degli incendi boschivi (Compagnia delle Foreste, 2014). On sale at https://www.ecoalleco.it/gestione/gestione-selvicolturale-dei-combustibili-forestali-per-la-prevenzione-degli-incendi-boschivi-168.html
- Material shared by the teacher on the Ariel page of the course
Non-italian speaking students will have to contact the teacher for materials in English.
Valutazione e mitigazione del rischio idrogeologico nell'ambiente montano
Course syllabus
The concepts of danger and risk
Tools for the assessment and mitigation of the risk from natural hazards
Risk prevention and mitigation (structural, non-structural and biological interventions)
- from shallow landslides
a) stabilizing effect of the forest
b) naturalistic engineering works
- from debris flows
a) effect of the forest
b) flow regulation structures
- from the transport of wood material in streams
- risk assessment in a river basin
Elements of snow and ecology of high altitude soils
- Physical and chemical properties of the snowpack
- Characteristics of soils in periglacial areas
Dynamics of avalanches and risk prevention:
- Classification of avalanches
- The Avalanche Bulletin
- Techniques for managing and reducing exposure to avalanche danger
Tools for the assessment and mitigation of the risk from natural hazards
Risk prevention and mitigation (structural, non-structural and biological interventions)
- from shallow landslides
a) stabilizing effect of the forest
b) naturalistic engineering works
- from debris flows
a) effect of the forest
b) flow regulation structures
- from the transport of wood material in streams
- risk assessment in a river basin
Elements of snow and ecology of high altitude soils
- Physical and chemical properties of the snowpack
- Characteristics of soils in periglacial areas
Dynamics of avalanches and risk prevention:
- Classification of avalanches
- The Avalanche Bulletin
- Techniques for managing and reducing exposure to avalanche danger
Teaching methods
The hydrological risk module includes 4 hours of face-to-face teaching, 12 hours of synchronous remote lessons on MS Teams, 16 hours of remote asynchronous activities (including the preparation of the exam project) and two field trips for a total of 16 hours.
The module of soil and snow science includes 32 hours of activities divided into 16 hours of frontal lessons and 16 hours of practice in the field. For the lectures the teacher makes use of multimedia presentations that are available to students. The exercise in the field consists of visiting areas affected by the construction of works for the prevention of avalanches and soil erosion and operational structures that deal with the management of the avalanche danger.
The module of soil and snow science includes 32 hours of activities divided into 16 hours of frontal lessons and 16 hours of practice in the field. For the lectures the teacher makes use of multimedia presentations that are available to students. The exercise in the field consists of visiting areas affected by the construction of works for the prevention of avalanches and soil erosion and operational structures that deal with the management of the avalanche danger.
Teaching Resources
Course material and slides on ARIEL website
Jones HG, Pomeroy JW, Walker DA, Hoham RW "Snow ecology". Cambridge University Press
Gray DM, Male DH "Handbook of snow". The Blackburn Press
Romeo R., Vita A., Manuelli S., Zanini E., Freppaz M. & Stanchi S. (2015) Understanding Mountain Soils: A Contribution from mountain areas to the International Year of Soils 2015. FAO, Rome, 2015. ISBN 978-92-5-108804-3. (http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4704e.pdf)
Geitner C., Freppaz M., Lesjak J., Schaber E., Stanchi S., D'Amico M., Vrščaj B. (2020) I Servizi Ecosistemici del Suolo nelle Alpi. ISBN 978-88-99108-18-2 https://it.alpinesoils.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/00-IT-Soils-Ecosystem_210x270_spread-low.pdf
Jones HG, Pomeroy JW, Walker DA, Hoham RW "Snow ecology". Cambridge University Press
Gray DM, Male DH "Handbook of snow". The Blackburn Press
Romeo R., Vita A., Manuelli S., Zanini E., Freppaz M. & Stanchi S. (2015) Understanding Mountain Soils: A Contribution from mountain areas to the International Year of Soils 2015. FAO, Rome, 2015. ISBN 978-92-5-108804-3. (http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4704e.pdf)
Geitner C., Freppaz M., Lesjak J., Schaber E., Stanchi S., D'Amico M., Vrščaj B. (2020) I Servizi Ecosistemici del Suolo nelle Alpi. ISBN 978-88-99108-18-2 https://it.alpinesoils.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/00-IT-Soils-Ecosystem_210x270_spread-low.pdf
Valutazioni economico-ambientali della gestione del territorio forestale
Course syllabus
CFU 1: Environment, forests, mountains: framework for economic issues
· Multifunctionality of forests: socio-economic and environmental functions
· Productive and protective forests
· Ecosystem services: general information and classification
· Principles of forest valuation
CFU 2: Methods for evaluating environmental goods and services
· Hedonic prices
· Travel cost method
· Contingent valuation: principles and methods
· Choice models: principles and methods
CFU 3: Support for decisions on public investments
· The evaluation of public investments
· Principles of financial analysis
· Multi-criteria analysis
CFU 4: Cost-benefit analysis
· General principles
· Description of the context
· Definition of objectives
· Identification of the project
· Technical feasibility and environmental sustainability
· Financial analysis
· Economic analysis
· Risk analysis
CFU 5: Environmental policies
· Environment and property rights
· Economic characteristics of public goods
· Public goods and externalities
· Environmental policy tools
CFU 6: Case study: objectives, tools, methods
· Multifunctionality of forests: socio-economic and environmental functions
· Productive and protective forests
· Ecosystem services: general information and classification
· Principles of forest valuation
CFU 2: Methods for evaluating environmental goods and services
· Hedonic prices
· Travel cost method
· Contingent valuation: principles and methods
· Choice models: principles and methods
CFU 3: Support for decisions on public investments
· The evaluation of public investments
· Principles of financial analysis
· Multi-criteria analysis
CFU 4: Cost-benefit analysis
· General principles
· Description of the context
· Definition of objectives
· Identification of the project
· Technical feasibility and environmental sustainability
· Financial analysis
· Economic analysis
· Risk analysis
CFU 5: Environmental policies
· Environment and property rights
· Economic characteristics of public goods
· Public goods and externalities
· Environmental policy tools
CFU 6: Case study: objectives, tools, methods
Teaching methods
The module is divided into 5 CFU of lectures and 1 CFU of exercises. In this way, the provision of adequate moments of practical application of the acquired knowledge is ensured.
The teaching material will be made available on the Ariel platform: slides of the lessons, recordings of the lessons, reference texts, documents and materials related to the case study.
Attendance of teaching is strongly recommended
The teaching material will be made available on the Ariel platform: slides of the lessons, recordings of the lessons, reference texts, documents and materials related to the case study.
Attendance of teaching is strongly recommended
Teaching Resources
No specific texts are provided. Slides of the lessons, articles, documents and other in-depth material will be made available on the Ariel platform.
Gestione sostenibile delle foreste di montagna
AGR/05 - FOREST MANAGEMENT AND SILVICULTURE - University credits: 5
Field activity: 16 hours
Laboratories: 16 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Laboratories: 16 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Professor:
Vacchiano Giorgio
Valutazione e mitigazione del rischio idrogeologico nell'ambiente montano
AGR/08 - AGRICULTURAL HYDRAULICS AND WATERSHED PROTECTION
AGR/14 - PEDOLOGY
AGR/14 - PEDOLOGY
Field activity: 32 hours
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Professors:
Bischetti Gian Battista, Freppaz Michele
Valutazioni economico-ambientali della gestione del territorio forestale
AGR/01 - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL APPRAISAL - University credits: 6
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Sali Guido
Professor(s)
Reception:
please request an appointment by e-mail
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali
Reception:
by appointment
DISAA