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La gestione dei boschi soggetti a vincolo paesaggistico è particolarmente complessa in quanto è necessario accordare la massimizzazione degli aspetti paesistici con la sostenibilità economica degli interventi di gestione. Ciò implica da una parte massimizzazione del valore di un bene non di mercato, dall’altra necessità di arrivare ad un equilibrio economico finanziario. Il paper partirà dall’analisi dei problemi di natura estimativa e valutativa per poi arrivare a sviluppare considerazioni economiche. L'obiettivo di questo breve scritto è quello di fornire elementi utili alla definizione di future linee guida che possano conciliare gli aspetti della tutela paesaggistica con quelli della gestione forestale.

Cultural ecosystem services (CESs) are non-material benefits generated by natural and human ecosystems that substantially contribute to human wellbeing. Estimating the monetary value of CESs is challenging because there is no real market for these services and therefore there is no actual market price. This study seeks to define an economic evaluation method for these services, with special reference to a recreational CES that has so far received little discussion: hunting. We conducted an online survey in the province of Siena (Tuscany, Italy). The Consumer Surplus estimate of hunters was made using the travel-cost method with a detailed analysis of the annual expenditure on hunting activities, and a negative binomial statistical regression. The results reflect the nature of hunting activity and show the dynamics that have occurred over recent decades. In fact, whereas hunting used to be strongly connected to the rural world as it was an income supplement for local communities, nowadays it has turned into an elitist and almost exclusively recreational activity. In any case, knowing the economic value of ecosystem services constitutes an essential background for planning effective land management and development policies in the short and long term.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate preferences for wine made from hand-harvested grapes, and the interactive effect between this attribute and organic certification. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via an online choice experiment involving a sample of 408 Italian wine consumers. A random parameter logit was performed to estimate consumer preferences for wine attributes: harvest type, organic and the interaction between these. The experiment also includes geographical indications and price. Furthermore, a latent class model (LCM) is performed to investigate taste heterogeneity for the included wine attributes. Findings On average, consumers prefer the wine produced with hand-harvested grapes. The hypothesis of an interaction between organic and hand-harvested attributes is rejected. Using the LCM, the authors identify three segments with significant taste heterogeneity in terms of the magnitude and the sign of the parameters. Moreover, consumer attitudes towards food naturalness differ according to their belonging to the segments. Originality/value The novelty of this article is twofold. First, this study investigates, for the first time, the impact of the hand-harvested method on consumer wine preferences. Second, hand-harvesting and organic have independent values.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate non-pecuniary motivations and benefits of involvement in the wine business. Combining these motives with winery owners’ characteristics, attitudes and implemented strategies, the aim is to identify different winery owners’ styles in small-medium family-run firms.Design/methodology/approachThe applied method is a qualitative explorative study involving in-depth interviews with Tuscan winery owners. They have hands-on involvement in the winemaking process, own a family business and supervise all of the production phases, from grape growing to bottling.FindingsThe study highlights the key role of non-economic motivations for winery owners. Passion, independence and a desire to live close to nature are predominant compared to pecuniary motivations, such as profit maximization. Therefore, the “lifestyle-oriented” style, characterized especially by the achievement of non-pecuniary benefits, represents the prevailing style amongst the interviewed winery owners, in contrast to the “business-oriented” style, which features typical producers described by mainstream economic theory.Originality/valueThe findings of this study are pivotal because they can facilitate a better understanding of how family-run wineries make decisions related to, e.g. firm size, staff management, product quality, exports and sustainability.

We tested the hypothesis that individuals may act differently when buying a bottle of wine for themselves than they do when buying wine as a gift. Using a between-subject design, we estimated the differences in consumer preference for these two occasions. We conducted a choice experiment on 618 Italian wine consumers and included the attributes of price, geographical indication (i.e. IGT, DOC, or DOCG), organic claim, and brand (i.e. famous producer or a non-famous producer). By applying an error component random parameters logit model, we detected relevant differences between the two scenarios in terms of the relative importance of the studied attributes. The gift-giving scenario was further investigated using a latent class model, which identified three segments of consumers; we profiled these according to personal attitudes and wine knowledge. Our results show a relevant heterogeneity among consumers’ preferences for the gift-giving scenario, with geographical indication having a low impact and brand and organic claim playing a pivotal role. This study provides relevant insights for winemakers and retailers regarding diversifying marketing strategies.

Several studies have focused on the behaviour of consumers towards organic wine, finding varying and sometimes conflicting results. Some scholars have noted that consumers may perceive wine labelled as organic to be of a lower quality, whereas others have found that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for it. Starting from these discrepancies found in the literature, this study seeks to investigate how the organic certification influences consumers when purchasing a bottle of red wine, evaluating the possible presence of attribute non-attendance (ANA) behaviour. A choice experiment was carried out on a sample of Italian wine consumers. Findings highlight that although, on average, consumers do not prefer organic wine, there is a relevant niche in the market consisting of consumers who benefit from purchasing it. Moreover, we have found that the majority of the sample ignores the organic attribute when choosing a bottle of wine, which reveals ANA behaviour.

This paper presents a decision support based on spatial analysis for the evaluation of payments for forest ecosystem services (PES). A focus on the payment range for protective services for shallow landslide is described. The maximum willingness to pay by real estate owners and the minimum willingness to accept by forest owners are computed. The model quantifies the economic risk of real estate depending on the loss probability due to landslide and the presence and protection efficiency of forest. The potential compensation to forest managers considers the difference of the forest expected value from current practices (business as usual – BAU – scenario) to the intervention optimized for PES. A geostatistical approach is applied to quantify the uncertainty of the output. The results indicate relevant differences from BAU to PES in term of an increased protection efficiency and reduced uncertainty. The suitability of protective forest for PES activation is approximately 46 % of the total surface in the study area (Municipality Union of Sieve and Arno Valleys, Tuscany – central Italy). The output also highlights the strong influence of the tree species composition on the value of the PES scenario and indicates that Turkey oak and mixed broadleaved forests are more likely to fall under a PES scheme. Spatial analysis is useful for determining the influence of site-specific characteristics.

Forest degradation is a severe threat to the provision of ecosystem services, such as timber production, biodiversity and hydrogeological protection. Forest abandonment is one of the main causes of forest degradation in Mediterranean areas where the low value-added of forest activities affects economic sustainability. This issue requires urgent restoration actions which must be supported by cost–benefit analysis that comprises all forestry activities that generate income, including the recreational ones. In effect, while the impact of forest management systems on timber production is well studied, the impact of recreational values is not. The present article intends to demonstrate that different forms of forest management result in a differing willingness to pay (WTP) for maintaining the recreational use of forests. We collected 248 questionnaires from respondents who confirmed their WTP for the maintenance of the recreational function of forests under three management systems: coppice, active conversion to high forest, and the natural evolution of forests. Moreover, we tested the influence of certain socio-demographic variables on individual WTP. Users elicited a high preference for conversion to high forest, while natural evolution was the least preferred management system. Moreover, males and users with higher levels of education had a greater WTP for conversion to the high forest approach.

In agriculture, water is a fundamental but increasingly scarce resource that requires careful use. The goal of fostering water-savings could be achieved with a regulation that imposes more efficient irrigation systems. This might represent the only policy option when water withdrawals cannot be controlled and when the operational context does not allow filling the information asymmetry between policy makers and farmers with metering systems, quotas, or market rights. The regulation could involve higher costs for farmers. However, it could represent an opportunity to increase farm revenues if consumers are willing to pay a higher price for goods produced according to an ecological standard. Knowledge of the costs and possible benefits is relevant because it would enable us to understand the potential cost allocation among stakeholders according to how the policy is designed. The results of this study indicate that the management cost of a sustainable irrigation system could be at most 48% greater than that of a wasteful, traditional system. However, the higher costs of the regulation could be compensated for because consumers are willing to pay 6.8% more for less intensive water-use agricultural products. Therefore, a regulation associated with the promotion of hypothetical water-saving label can be the best strategy to irrigation efficiency in agriculture.

This article׳s aim is to identify and quantify the connection between a winery business typology and its production cost per bottle to create benchmarks for managerial and organisational choices. Accounting data from wineries in representative areas of the Tuscan wine sector were collected with direct, face-to-face interviews. The data were processed using a cost accounting model elaborated by UniCeSV (Centre for the Strategic Development of the Wine Sector, University of Florence) to classify costs according to production phases and production factors. The study was completed using a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) approach to investigate the relation between cost structures and business typologies. The implementation of the cost accounting model and the HCA showed a strong relationship between how wineries are organised and how costs are structured. Moreover, the weight of geographical localisation (i.e., belonging to a specific denomination of origin) has proved to be a key determinant in the shape of the cost structures of wineries. Keywords: Wine production, Full cost analysis, Clustering

The agro-environmental policies included in rural development plans are getting increasing importance in European Community strategies. These policies represent the meeting point between demand and supply of positive externalities. The difficulty of assessing real environmental efficiency is one of the elements characterizing agro-environmental measures. This difficulty is related to the identification of suitable parameters for evaluating farms according to their impact on the territory. This impact is mainly related both to chemical inputs and to the territorial characteristics of the farm. Different types of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are currently used in production processes; however, the analysis has focused only on nitrates, as they represent the most critical types of chemicals related to soil pollution. A case study is provided by analysis of agro-environmental measures in Tuscany for the reduction of nitrates in organic and integrated farms. Using spatial multicriteria analysis, integrated and organic farms were classified according to their geographical locations and their release of nitrates into the soil. This classification permits the highlighting of farms that make the greatest economic efforts to reduce pollution and therefore it could determine environmental benefits. Considering that the trend of policy strategies is toward a reduction of monetary resources, the classification could help decision makers choose the right allocation of future resources.

The amount of food sold online is increasing, but it accounts for a small share of total e-commerce. In this study, we investigate the factors that influence individuals' likelihood to buy food online. Applying a logit model to a sample of 34,488 respondents who participated in the Italian National Institute of Statistics multipurpose survey ‘Aspects of Italian Daily Life’, we explore the effects of socio-demographics and situational factors. We found that the food-online consumer is likely to be a young, well-educated, female, living in a small family, with a very good or adequate overall economic condition. Among situational factors, working time, being obese, having health problems, and practising a sport regularly positively affect the probability to buy food online. Surprisingly, distance from brick-and-mortar stores and car possession are not predictors of online shopping. These findings can support marketers and retailers in defining their marketing strategies and enhance the knowledge of this emerging food market.

Current lifestyles always pose increasing time pressure that can result in unhealthy diets. Our study addresses the role that high-quality plant-based convenience foods can play in promoting healthier consumptions. While convenience foods are in fact often associated with poor nutritional values, the spread of healthy convenience foods could respond to the needs of new lifestyles and promote better food choices. The study is based on a multicomponent model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour that has made it possible to verify how control factors such as cooking skills, product availability, budget, time pressure, and interest in healthy eating can affect the consumption of precooked plant-based foods. The results of Structural Equation Models applied to a sample representative of the Italian population (600 individuals) highlight the presence of a consistent group of consumers (almost 70%) that consider plant-based convenience foods as a useful means to improve their diet. For this cluster, the control factors that significantly influence behaviour are market availability, interest in healthy eating, and time pressure. The advancements in knowledge that this research produces are translated into guidelines for producers, retailers, and policy makers that, in synergy, might encourage consumers to replace unhealthy foods with healthy ones.

Due to several ecosystem services provided to the community, the multifunctional management of forests has acquired an important role over the years. The current Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) guidelines are based on planning programmes which are able to achieve targets from socio-economic and environmental points of view. In this paper, SFM indicators have been studied and compared to estimate the sustainability of three coppice options, from both an economic and a socio-environmental viewpoint. Each indicator was studied in relationship to the treatment and to the considered areas. The results of the statistical analysis show differences among treatments, and the possible correlations between the indicators. Moreover, by using principal component analysis (PCA), the correlations between the indicators were analysed, while the ways in which they influenced the examined sites were also considered. In particular, specific homogeneous clusters separating the observed sites were observed based on treatment and geographical gradient. Overall, the set of indicators used has proven to be effective when carrying out an evaluation of the existing types of forest management based on the analysis of three fundamental aspects of the SFM.

Increasing importance has been placed on understanding how the environment in which people live can help anti-obesity behaviour and policy. This tendency represents a shift away from a model characterised by individual responsibility in favour of one that focuses on so-called ‘obesogenic environments’. Although an extensive body of literature stresses the importance of urban design in helping to eradicate obesity, there is, nevertheless, significant uncertainty in the science surrounding the relationship between body size and broad geographic areas. In this paper, we therefore widen the perspective from urban area planning to land planning. Specifically, we outline the incidence of forests helping to create an environment more favourable to outdoor physical activities, which at least improve health by lowering body mass index. The results demonstrate a relationship between forests and lower average body mass index (BMI); in other words, a reduction in the risk of being overweight. There is, however, no impact on obesity.

The negative effects of climate change are predicted to impact the agricultural sector in coming decades. Economic losses and modifications of production processes are fundamental issues to consider in coping with the harmful consequences of climate variability. The literature and empirical evidence show that the wine sector is extremely vulnerable to this risk. These studies show that this sector lacks appropriate adaptation strategies due to the complexity of the analysed systems and interrelations between a number of socio-economic and environmental variables. The present study designed a decision support system to identify adaptation strategies for wine farms undergoing climate change. The tool allows for the analysis of a wine farm's economic performance when it adopts measures to cope with climatic variability. Average values for climate change and extreme events were considered to assess different scenarios. A mix-method approach was applied to integrate probability calculations, complex system analyses and operational research (a metaheuristic approach). The model was tested on a case study located in central Italy (Chianti Classico). To maintain and improve future financial performance, organic farming and adjustments to procedural guidelines were recommended as key strategies. Economic variables, such as the average price of wine, seem to have a strong influence on farms' implementation of adaptive measures. An additional result seems to suggest that insurance schemes in areas producing high quality wine are only suitable when low-level deductibles and public funding are available. The present work shows that the decision support system favours analytical sensitivity to different scenarios and variables related to climate change as well as to socio-economic shifts in the viticulture sector.

The study aims to identify future trends in food habits by comparing the food choices made in Italy by Generation X in the year 2000 with those of Generation Y in 2009. The analysis was conducted utilising the food expenditures surveyed by the National Statistics Institute on a representative sample of consumers. Segmentation was performed using the Latent Class Clustering in order to identify the principal food patterns and their evolution in the span of a decade. The results point out some trends of homologation in food consumptions that are potentially problematic from the viewpoint of the healthy aspects. An increase is noted among the so-called savers, characterised by a diet with a high energetic density, while a decline is noted among the young "traditionals" who stand out for their high consumptions of fruit, vegetables and fish. Out-of-the-home consumptions become established among singles, and there is an increase of easy to prepare and ready to eat products, especially among the young people with children of Northern Italy. These elements raise several issues with regard to social, economic and health implications. Public intervention becomes fundamental to provide information and stimulate markets in orienting producers and consumers towards virtuous models, compatible with the new demands of society.

This work presents an integrated method for the optimisation of a regional wood-energy supply network. The model is based on a scalar system that comprises a demand point (district heating plants (DHP)) and bio-energy sources (supply basin (SB)), each of which is related to a biomass terminal. The objective of optimisation is based on both technical-logistics and environmental parameters. An SB is defined by the anisotropic weighted Voronoi tessellation methodology. The parameters are then aggregated to a multi-objective analysis that includes the optimisation of variables and compromise programming approach. Results permit the identification of the best supply chain organisation and the determination of the agro-forest energy districts where rural policy and intervention could be applied. The model was tested in the province of Florence (central Italy) to depict efficient scenarios for the fuelling of DHPs.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a methodology to determine the lost revenue and increased costs resulting from the assumption of forest-environment commitments, as provided by rule 225 (Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005) of the measure defined by the Tuscany Region. The aim is therefore to determine the appropriateness of the payments provided by European Community measures. Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005 regards mainly land management and contributes to sustainable development by encouraging farmers and forest holders to employ methods of land use compatible with the need to preserve the natural environment and landscape and protect and improve natural resources. This Rule covers support for non-productive investments linked to the achievement of agro or forest-environmental commitments or the achievement of other agri-environmental objectives, as well as measures aimed at improving forestry resources with an environmental objective (support for the first forestation of agricultural land, establishment of agroforestry systems or restoring forestry potential and preventing natural disasters). We have worked by analyzing each of the commitments required by individual actions and checking their impact on forest regional management; we have calculated the additional costs and the lost revenue resulting from the assumption of commitments.

The monetary evaluation of ecosystem services is a topic of great interest for environmental planning and forestry. However, economic measurements of forest externalities and the implementation of decision support tools able to guide decision-makers in forest assessment, are difficult tasks. In this framework, the aims of the work were: i) to define economic and financial indicators, related to appraisal of different silvicultural intervention in Tuscany forest and ii) to design a flexible economic decision support model for the guidance of stakeholders in forest management. From methodological viewpoint a short period financial analysis was developed. This analysis permits to compute stumpage value of forest harvesting. The innovative component of the work is the ability to integrate the analysis with an assessment of economic aspect of the process. As matter of fact, multifunctionality parameters and, consequently, total economic value of forest was introduced. Main results emphasize the flexibility of the implemented model and the potential application in different areas.

The chestnut timber chain in Tuscany is divided into two main production lines: posts and industrial timber. In the first case, regional manufacturing of raw material mostly covers the domestic needs. As for industrial uses, in spite of the high demand for quality timber, the scarce development and quality of production also affects the manufacturing stages. The main reason lies in the everlasting difficulty of supplying chestnut timber assortments for industrial purposes. The production is extremely inadequate, especially in terms of quality. The Italian raw material can be only partially qualified as industrial timber, because of the lack of suitable size and quality requirements. Accordingly, industrial timber is increasingly being imported from foreign markets. The aim of this paper is to assess whether the growth of local supply can be sustained by first-phase processing enterprises in terms of quality timber assortments. The survey analyzed the structure of several enterprises located on Monte Amiata (SI) and the Colline Metallifere (GR). Data necessary for gaining more knowledge about the first step in the timber-forest chain were acquired from questionnaires submitted to the owners of the firms operating in this sector. The information acquired included firm size, source of woody material, availability and annual quantity of wood sales, prices of assortments, and machinery and equipment owned by each firm. The interviews shed light on several aspects such as the interest in local woody material supply in spite of difficulties in sourcing the same. The sample consisted of small-sized enterprises, family-run entities, poorly equipped for machinery, mainly represented by posts marketed in the local area. As for the goal of this survey, it must be pointed out that the majority of firms processing chestnut timber are located on Monte Amiata, where chestnut stands are one of the main forest types; while in the Colline Metallifere, these firms focus more on oak species since chestnut plays a marginal role and no timber trading activity exists among the firms found in the two surveyed areas.

The volume illustrates the research activity of the UniCeSV Analytical Accounting Observatory presented during the seminar on: La contabilita analitica per il controllo della gestione nel settore vitivinicolo (“Analytical accounting for management control in the wine industry”) which was held in Florence on December 3, 2014. On this occasion, some of the studies which UniCeSV has been carrying out in this field in the last years have been presented. During the seminar some results were presented, related to a a sample survey carried out in companies belonging to the denominations Chianti Classico DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Morellino di Scansano DOCG and Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC. These results have allowed to evaluate the production cost of the single bottle of wine and to determine the standard cost of some reference company typologies.Il volume illustra le attivita di ricerca dell’Osservatorio di Contabilita Analitica dell’UniCeSV presentate nell’ambito del seminario su: La contabilita analitica per il controllo della gestione nel settore vitivinicolo che si e tenuto a Firenze il 3 Dicembre 2014. In tale occasione sono stati mostrati alcuni degli studi che da anni l’UniCeSV conduce in questo campo. In particolare, sono stati presentati i risultati di un’indagine campionaria condotta in aziende afferenti alle denominazioni Chianti Classico DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Morellino di Scansano DOCG e Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC, che hanno permesso di valutare il costo di produzione della singola bottiglia di vino e di determinare il costo standard di alcune tipologie aziendali di riferimento.

Subclavian vein cannulation is frequently performed in patients undergoing electrophysiologic procedures in order to facilitate catheterization of the coronary sinus. We present a rare case of massive haemothorax, secondary to subclavian artery injury, during an ablation of atrial fibrillation. Following the procedure, a chest radiograph revealed a massive left haemothorax and the angiographic phase of a computed tomography scan indicated the presence of active bleeding due to left subclavian artery injury. Active bleeding was initially managed through embolization of the subclavian artery branches and the patient was subsequently treated with combined endovascular stenting and video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Throughout Italy, soil sealing has had a significant impact on the landscape and on agricultural land. This issue needs to be analyzed in order to provide the policy maker with strategic information for rational land planning and environmental management. In this context, the purpose of this study is to widen our knowledge about the consumption of agricultural land in Italy, analyzing its dynamics, causes and impact. The analysis considers three specific aspects: design of a territorial model to study the extent of land consumption, qualitativequantitative evaluation and classification of the ways in which sealing areas are extended, and analysis of impact and driving forces. The results have helped identify the extent of soil sealing on a geographical basis and, at the same time, to understand how artificialization morphotypologies are linked to the changes that take place and what impact these changes have in relation to territorial multifunctionality and hydrogeological risk.

The volume collects the proceedings of the XXXIV study meeting of Ce.S.E.T. - Centro di Estimo e di Economia territoriale (Centre for Estimation and Territorial Economics) held in Florence on 15-16 October 2004.Il volume ospita gli atti del XXXIV incontro di studio del Ce.S.E.T. (Centro di Estimo e di Economia territoriale) tenutosi a Firenze nei giorni 15-16 ottobre 2004.

The volume presents a key to understanding the current distribution of arable lands in Italy (based on an analysis conducted on 1994-1997 data) in relation to community disciplines and future prospects. In Italy, on over 14 million hectares of UAA (Usable Agricultural Area), about 57% is characterised by arable land. The importance of these crops, in addition to this visible global figure, is also confirmed at the level of individual production structures. In the short-term future, however, it is the arable lands that will be fully affected by the need to reduce surpluses and by the issues related to the environmental sustainability of production systems.Il volume presenta una chiave di lettura sull'attuale distribuzione in Italia dei seminativi (sulla base di un'analisi condotta su dati 1994-1997) in relazione alle discipline comunitarie e alle prospettive future. In Italia su oltre 14 milioni di ettari di SAU (superficie agraria utile?), circa il 57% e interessato da seminativi. L'importanza di tali colture, oltre a questo evidente dato globale, e confermata anche a livello di singole strutture di produzione. In un futuro a breve termine, tuttavia, proprio i seminativi saranno investiti in pieno dalle esigenze di abbattimento delle eccedenze e dai problemi di sostenibilita ambientale delle scelte produttive.