UNIDO ITPO Italy coordinated and assisted on site the “Study Tour on Precision Forestry” for a delegation from Ethiopia and Peru, held between 31st January and 2nd February 2023 in Italy between Florence and Pistoia and carried out by Bluebiloba and the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forest Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI) of the University of Florence.

At the Italian Academy of Forest Sciences in Florence, the delegation attended on January 31st an in-class training focusing on several topics, among which forest remote sensing and water harvesting management, interacting with the experts and each other to share views, raise questions and improve technical skills, through practical exercises on Google Earth Engine. On the second day, the study tour featured a special session of augmented reality, during which all delegates experienced the use of a chainsaw and learned how to accurately use it for legal logging through technical tools.

On February 2nd, the delegates had the opportunity to visit the forestry site in the Apennines of Pistoia at the company Azienda Agroforestale Gaggioli Lorenzo. During the visit, after discussing Italian regulations on how to deal with forest operations, trees and indigenous species, demonstrations were held and innovative measurement tools – including 3D applications – were given to the delegates for practical exercise.

Notably, the study tour concluded with the vote of thanks and delivery of attendance certificates to all delegates from Mr. Ernesto Fino, representing the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security – donor of the project “Fostering international partnerships between companies and/or institutions operating in the energy and environment sectors” implemented by UNIDO ITPO Italy – whose participation in the activity was positively perceived as clear signal for further collaboration.

This initiative successfully allowed the Ethiopian and Peruvian delegates to establish linkages with key Italian experts belonging to universities, research centers and forest operators, as well as to learn more about and practice the use of technological tools for forestry management, conservation and restoration, paving the way for additional future trainings with Italian experts.