The 1936 Italian Kingdom Forest Map reviewed: a dataset for landscape and ecological research

The recovery, digitalization in vector format and a first analysis of the 1936 Italian Kingdom Forest Map (IKFM) (276 sheets 1:100,000) is described. The original document is available in paper format using a datum and a map projection no longer in use, therefore it is not suitable for analysis using current digital tools. Besides it is a unique document that describes the forest extent and species composition for the whole of Italy. This map provides historical, ecological and landscape information and fills a great temporal gap in those portions of Italy where landscape maps are available for some earlier periods. Its importance is extended to parts of Croatia, Slovenia and France. Therefore, the effort to make it available for analysis using current digital tools was done. The technical problems faced in the recovery and transformation of the cartography into a usable format are described and discussed. A first data overview and analysis based on a test study, and comparisons with current national forest inventory data aimed to highlight potential and limits of IKFM are presented. The results demonstrate the validity and usability of the digital version that is available on-line through a WebGIS at the address carta1936.dicam.unitn.it