FORNAINI, LUIGI ANTONIO. – Vallombrosan abbot, born on 14 December 1756 at Massa Cozzile, died on 29 June 1838 at Florence. He was a pupil of Leto Guidi. Ordained a priest, he became administrator of the abbey of Vallombrosa, where he became famous for his studies of agriculture and forestry, so much so that, after Napoleon expelled the monks, he remained alone to supervise the forests, which had become state property.
In addition to the work Dai doveri dei sudditi verso il Principe e del Principe verso i sudditi (Florence 1815), he left the treatise Della coltivazione degli abeti (there 1804) and a Saggio sopra l'utilità di ben conservare e preservare le foreste (there 1825), which remains highly relevant today.
BIBL.: A. Pavari, D. L. A. F., in Il Faggio vallombrosano, July–August 1938; E. Lucchesi, Un imique cultore di buchi e foreste: l'ab. d. L. A. F., in Atti della Soc. Colombaria fiorentina, Florence 1938–39. Giovanni Donna