How many forests are there in Italy?

Italy is becoming an increasingly green country: in recent years, the area covered by woodland has increased to around 38% of the national territory, exceeding the 10 million-hectare mark. But is this figure enough to say that the environmental challenge has been won? Faced with such rapid growth, many are asking: how many forests are there in Italy, and why should we continue to plant new trees if nature seems to be taking care of itself?

The reality is that an increase in forest cover does not guarantee healthy or resilient forests. Often, when nature grows spontaneously, it fails to do so quickly enough or in the right way to respond to the climate crisis. In this article, and in the in-depth video, we will explore the actual data on Italy’s forest heritage and understand why active forest management is now a fundamental pillar for protecting the country’s territory

What percentage of Italy is covered by woodland?

The figures confirm that we are among the European countries with the fastest-growing forests. But which region has the most woodland? It depends on the parameter considered.

If we look at total area, Tuscany is the undisputed leader with around 1.2 million hectares, accounting for 10% of the country’s total woodland. However, the ranking changes if we consider the forest cover ratio (the ratio of woodland to total land area): in this case, Liguria tops the list with 72% of its area covered, followed by the Autonomous Province of Trento (64%) and then Tuscany again (52%).

As for green continuity, the Italian record belongs to Sardinia, in the Sulcis Park, where an uninterrupted expanse of almost 70,000 hectares stretches out. That is equivalent to four times the area of the city of Milan.

All these increases, however, are often the result of the abandonment of pastures and agricultural fields: a spontaneous growth which, without scientific guidance, can expose us to underestimated dangers.

Why can a forest that grows on its own be a problem?

People often wonder why we should intervene when nature seems to be managing just fine on its own. The answer lies in its vulnerability to extreme events. Between January and October 2025 alone, over 94,000 hectares were burnt in Italy – almost double the figure for 2024.

An unmanaged forest is often fragile:

In the mountains: nature’s timescales are too slow to protect us from hydrogeological instability following fires or wind damage. We need interventions to speed up the restoration of slopes and stabilise the soil.
On the plains: invasive (exotic) species tend to colonise abandoned agricultural land, destabilising local biodiversity.
Diseases and pests: hot, dry summers make plants vulnerable, as demonstrated by the outbreak of the tortoise scale insect, which is decimating pine trees in Lazio.

That is why at WOWnature we do not just plant trees, but apply a comprehensive scientific management approach.

What does it mean to manage a forest?

Management means working competently to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, only 15% of Italian forests currently have an active management plan. Without planning, we miss the opportunity to make our forests resilient.

The LIFE ClimatePositive project, an initiative co-funded by the European Union involving leading experts in the sector, is working precisely in this direction. The project aims to overcome the fragmentation of forest ownership by promoting the formation of associations: managing territories together to make them stronger.

Among the practical tools deployed by the project are:

SMART Forestry Associations Toolkit: support for the establishment and strengthening of landowner organisations.
Carbon Tool: a scientific platform that enables the assessment of how much carbon can be stored in forests, guiding technical decisions.
Economic valuation: the recognition of carbon credits to incentivise sustainable and long-term management.

How many forests are there in Italy?

The fact that forests are expanding in Italy is not an end in itself, but a responsibility. If you want to better understand the difference between uncontrolled natural expansion and a scientifically managed forest, watch our YouTube video: “How many forests are there in Italy?”.

Want to take action? Choose your favourite project, adopt a tree and come to the forest to plant it with our team. We look forward to seeing you out in the field to make our forests truly resilient.