Disentangling the Diversity of Forest Care Initiatives: A Novel Research Framework Applied to the Italian Context

Abstract

In the effort to advance the knowledge of and disentangle the diversity of emerging forest-based initiatives for wellbeing, we propose (1) an umbrella definition (i.e., forest care initiatives (FCIs)), (2) a custom-made repository to collect and systematize information on FCIs in Italy, and (3) discuss a categorization scheme to cluster initiatives into three main categories according to target users, substitutability of the forest ecosystem, and the specificity of the health contributions to which they are aimed. We analyzed 232 initiatives, showing a lively panorama of Italian FCIs, mainly provided by private entities and civil society. FCI developments appear to be occasions for, but are not restricted to, rural and marginal areas delivering inclusive wellbeing services to a wide target user group and business opportunities. However, due to the novelty of this area of investigation, further research is needed to account for benefits and opportunities and to increase knowledge on enabling forest environments.