Anatomical, physical and mechanical characterization of sessile oak (Quercus petraea Liebl.) wood from central Italy aged coppices

The present paper aims to implement the knowledge on sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) in the Mediterranean area where, although present, the species is rare both for natural and anthropogenic reasons. The focus is on two sessile oak aged coppice stands in Tuscany (Central Italy), classified as worthy of protection for their value at local to European level. In addition to environmental and stand structure characteristics, the technological properties of sessile oak wood at the surveyed sites are provided and compared with data in literature. Wood features consist of the anatomical parameters (growth ring thickness, earlywood and latewood thickness, fiber length, earlywood and latewood vessel diameter, amount of earlywood and latewood vessel) and the physical and mechanical parameters (density, modulus of elasticity, strength, hardness). No appreciable technological differences resulted between wood properties in the stands analysed and those from other Italian and French provenances reported in literature. Results highlighted that, even if already managed as coppice, the timber produced by both the stands is basically qualified as source of reproductive material for re-afforestation and to favour again the diffusion of this endangered species in suitable areas. All of this, taking into account that wood quality is determined by technological properties, but also by growing conditions (i.e. site quality), and by the quality of silvicultural management.