Towards climate and biodiversity smart forestry strategies for European beech at the rear edge

European forestry is increasingly focused on answering challenges posed by the climate and biodiversity crisis. Silvicultural suggestions have been formulated on how to mitigate climate change and adapt forest dynamics to climate change, or how to maintain or enhance biodiversity levels especially within the EU Natura 2000 Network. However, both challenges should be targeted at the same time. Here we summarized the scientific literature that described forestry measures capable of concurrently fostering the climate resilience of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) while maintaining their biodiversity level, with particular attention to the rear edge populations of the Natura 2000 “Apeninne beech forests with Taxus and Ilex” Habitat type 9210* in the Mediterranean EU biogeographical region. The primary selection criterion was on studies about beech forest management that can fit the objectives of climate-smart forestry or increase biodiversity (which resulted in the selection of 182 documents). Secondary selection criteria were the focus on spatial structure, uneven-aged silviculture, and mixed forests (19, 26 and 60 documents respectively) as these features are often associated to climate- and biodiversity-smart forestry. However, evidence was also collected for other management measures: even-aged forestry, coppicing, rewilding (abandonment of active management), dead wood management, and thinning. The evidence collected includes contrasting suggestions, with opposite effects on climate change mitigation or adaptation and biodiversity. Untangling the causes of these contrasts is necessary to find management solutions that can fit both objectives. The effectiveness of such harmonized measures can be further evaluated by means of forest-landscape simulation models. Towards such an effort, parallel to the calibration the LANDIS-II simulation model for, the selection of the most appropriate measures, among those identified, has been carried out for model implementation based on the specificities of a rear edge beech forest of the Gargano National Park (IT).