The Marganai forest is located in South Western Sardinia (Italy). It includes five main forest management units (FMU) managed by the Regional Agency Forestas: two state-owned forests (Margani and Gutturu Pala) and three FMU in a state of occupation or temporary concession (Monte Argentu, Portixeddu-Planedda and Nuraxifigus-Funtanamare).

The Marganai area, along with the entire Sulcis-Iglesiente region, has been an important site of mining exploitation for several centuries. This activity is reflected by the numerous underground tunnels built from the Phoenician-Punic period and during the subsequent historical periods when Roman, Spanish, Pisan and Piedmontese exploited the area’s mineral richness (Valery, 1996, Wagner, 2001).