Trees and shrubs monitoring using an ecological approach: the conclusion of the restoration project of Borgotrebbia landfill (Northern Italy)

Plants growth monitoring in restored landfills are poorly available in literature. These data might be of critical importance for the evaluation and improvement of current and future restoration projects. Our study was focused on the plant’s growth monitoring during a Life project (LIFE10 ENV/IT/000400 NEW LIFE), designed to restore a closed landfill (located in Northern Italy) using reconstituted soils. The growth monitoring was conducted on mortality rate, stress symptoms and phenological cycle completion of 10 plant species (trees and shrubs). Data were acquired during the 12 months following the end of the restoration with an ecological approach, using Landolt’s indices and CSR functional strategy. It was observed that the stress-tolerant and the heliphilous ruderal species were the ones that best adapt to the restored environment (dead plants:0-39%; unhealthy plants: 24-42%), whereas the most competitive species were the ones with highest mortality (17-43%) and stress symptoms (43-51%).