Dealing with extreme events and forest management: can universities have a role? The case of Vaia storm in Italy.

Forest disturbances associated with extreme events and natural disasters are expected to increase continually in intensity, quantity, and frequency in the coming years, posing severe threats to the world's forests. This challenges many actors to cooperate in developing innovative and effective solutions to increase resilience of socioecological systems. Higher education institutions, including universities, are called to contribute to these solutions. An interesting case-study is provided by Vaia storm, an unprecedentedly extreme event that hit North-East Italy between October and November 2018. Post-event activities and reactions by Italian universities are reported and analysed in this paper, with a focus on the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (in the Italian short version, TESAF) at the University of Padova. An overview of activities is provided, distinguishing among five main categories: (1) research initiatives by senior university staff, (2) PhD research activities, (3) education initiatives for students, (4) communication and dissemination activities and (5) side initiatives developed in cooperation with partner organizations. Though mainly focused on a single university Department, the overview confirms that higher education/research institutions had a key role in the post-Vaia phases and supports the idea that they could have a more active role in developing and delivering knowledge and skills that can help moving closer to more resilient socio-ecological systems.