The MIMOSE Approach to Support Sustainable Forest Management Planning at Regional Scale in Mediterranean Contexts

In recent decades, Mediterranean landscapes have been affected by human-induced drivers,such as land use and climate change. Forest ecosystems and landscapes have been particularlyaffected in mountainous regions due to limited management and stewardship, especially inremote areas. Therefore, there is a need to set up new strategies to enhance ecosystem servicesin forested areas which, in turn, will benefit local communities and economies. In this study,we implemented a new approach—Multiscale Mapping of Ecosystem Services (MIMOSE)—to assessecosystem services in Mediterranean forests located in a mountainous region of Italy. We spatiallyassessed timber provision and carbon sequestration according to three forest management strategies:business-as-usual, maximizing economic values, and prioritizing conservation. Sustainable strategiesfor forest planning were identified at the landscape scale. We found that (i) timber provision isa conflicting service, especially when adaptation strategies are promoted; (ii) the most balanced set offorest ecosystem services is achieved through prioritizing conservation; and (iii) the ecosystemservices availability is enhanced by optimizing the spatial allocation of different managementstrategies. Our approach is suitable to support landscape planning for balancing forest ecosystempotentialities while respecting local community needs and promoting sustainable development goalsin the Mediterranean area.