A group of 44 students from the University of Udine, enrolled in three bachelor’s degree courses focused on environmental and natural sciences, took part in an intensive environmental monitoring weekend in the Pramosio Forest from 13 to 16 November 2025. The group was joined by students from the University of Banja Luka, visiting Udine thanks to the international collaboration fostered by the Across Alliance, which connects the two universities and promotes academic exchanges and mobility.
The activities were coordinated by Prof. Giorgio Alberti, prof. Elisa Pellegrini, prof. Maurizia Sigura (DI4A – University of Udine), Prof. Srdan Bilić and Prof. Vojislav Dukić (University of Banja Luka), who were in Udine on an Erasmus mobility programme through the ACROSS Alliance. The two professors from Bosnia and Herzegovina contributed with field lectures within the course Silviculture and Forest Management, part of the Bachelor’s Programme in Agricultural Sciences taught by Prof. Alberti, offering students an international perspective on forest management.
The field-based teaching activities were made possible thanks to the support of FVG regional funds, which have long promoted initiatives aimed at enhancing the local territory and strengthening students’ technical and scientific training.
A Forest Heritage of Remarkable Value: A Journey Through Nature, Research and Learning
The Pramosio Forest covers approximately 500 hectares in the municipality of Paluzza (UD), in the heart of the Carnic Alps. Its cold temperate climate, abundant rainfall, and extensive stands of silver fir, Norway spruce and beech create an environment rich in biodiversity. Among the most striking sites is Lake Avostanis, a glacial basin located at 1,935 metres, overlooking the Creta di Timau, whose peak is reflected in its waters.
The journey to Pramosio is an immersion into mountain landscapes: after passing Paluzza and the Cleuis bridge, the road winds through increasingly dense forests and opens onto views of Creta di Collina, Rifugio Marinelli, Gamspitz, Monte Tenchia and Mount Zoncolan. It is an ideal setting for exploration and for carrying out the practical activities included in the university course.
Fieldwork and International Exchange
Throughout the weekend, students performed soil sampling, vegetation surveys and drone-based recordings, collecting data essential for assessing the forest’s carbon storage capacity, one of the key indicators in the fight against climate change. The participation of students and professors from the University of Banja Luka enriched the experience with a direct exchange of methods and perspectives in international silviculture, fostering a collaboration that broadens the educational scope of the course.
Learning Rooted in the Territory
The initiative fully reflects the mission of DI4A at the University of Udine: hands-on learning that takes place in the field, places students at the centre, and transforms direct experience of the territory into solid and lasting professional skills.
Building on this experience, the aim is to organise further activities within the ACROSS Alliance that brings together 11 European universities.
