Realisation of Piedmont short supply chains for the harvest of native seeds in permanent grasslands and them restoration practice
The project proposes to star a Piedmont short supply chains of native seeds. Reduceing the numbers of mediators it is possible to have got a cost of native seeds comparable with commercial seeds. This approach will be guaranteing a autocontinuation of short supply chains in future years
Piedmont region will be divided into homogeneous 'regions of origin' for native seed sale. Specific protocols will be written for the selection and characterization of donor sites, which will be added to a web site, letting professionals and farmers to access educational and technical information. The most suitable machineries for seeds harvesting and the quality features of harvested seeds will be evaluated. The assessment of the effectiveness of revegetation performed during the project will allow to start a short supply chain for native seeds with high naturalistic value.
Partition of Piedmont Region into 'regions of origin', corresponding to geographic areas with homogeneous environmental and vegetation characteristics. Harvesting and selling of native seeds will be possible inside each region.
Writing of a protocol for the identification of 'donor sites', with the aim of describing the donor sites with a shared methodology during the project. The protocol will support the activity of characterization of potential donor sites carried out by professionals after the end of the project.
Demarcation and description of donor sites, aiming at identifying sites representing very heterogeneous conditions, for elevation, slope, aspect and substrate. Native seeds will be harvested from these donor sites during the project. The same sites could be used in the future with the permission of the farmers as well.
Realisation of a web site containing information on the donor sites surveyed in Piedmont Region. This information will allow the users to choose the most suitable donor site according to ecological and vegetation features. Information on how to contact the farmers will also be available.
Purchase and realisation of machineries suitable to harvest native seeds. At present, in Piedmont Region there is not any suitable machine to harvest native seeds, such as machines for stripping and vacuuming. The realisation of a prototype will allow to fix the main limitations of machineries available on the market. The machines bought during the project will belong to a partner who will harvest native seeds also after the end of the project, as a contractor.
During the project several degraded areas (ski slopes, quarries and agricultural and forested lands) will be revegetated, using native seeds. These study areas will be subjected to an assessment of the technical effectiveness and economic benefit of the use of native seeds for the restoration of degraded lands.
At the end of the project whoever will freely access the web site of the project to identify one or more donor sites with comparable characteristics to those of the site to be revegetated. Moreover, it will be possible to get in contact with the farmers and the contractor owning the machineries for seed harvesting. Therefore, a short supply chain for native seeds in Piedmont Region will be operational by the end of the project.