The delegation was composed by 15 IPC representatives from around the world—including Congo, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Germany, Spain, and Belgium—who joined a Post-Session Study Tour in Italy. This tour was coordinated by CREA – Forestry and Wood Research Center, in collaboration with the National Poplar Observatory (ONP) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry (MASAF). The purpose was to explore sustainable practices in Italian poplar plantations and to observe the early stages of processing.

The first part of the visit took place at Torre D’Oglio (MN), in the poplar plantation of Rosa Anna e Rosa Luigia Farm, where Mauro Azzi, owner of Panguaneta, shared the history and the key aspects of poplar cultivation in our region. An expert from FSC Italy emphasized the importance of sustainable management, focusing on the environmental benefits of preserving representative and conservation areas.

For us, this visit was a great opportunity for dialogue and exchange with representatives from diverse backgrounds, practices, and cultivations, united by a shared commitment to a valuable, renewable resource that supports biodiversity and natural forests.