“The Calabria Region promotes the tourist use of monumental trees with economic support for the territorially interested Municipalities”. This was communicated by the regional councilor for the environment, Giovanni Calabrese.
“Specifically – adds Calabrese – support may be requested for recovery and safety interventions on the paths approaching the trees, for signage, for fencing and beautification works, for guided tours, information and promotional material, environmental education seminars. The Environment Department, with the general manager Salvatore Siviglia, has long been involved in the census of monumental trees in Calabria. As many as 134 trees of extraordinary naturalistic value have been included in the regional list drawn up in accordance with current national and regional legislation. The work was possible thanks to the active collaboration of the Forestry Carabinieri and the local municipalities involved”.
The complex process of recognizing the character of monumentality involved the technical evaluation of various aspects of both a botanical-naturalistic and historical-cultural nature. Specimens of notable value and spectacularity have become part of the national list of monumental trees.
Among these: the thousand-year-old oriental plane tree of Curinga, the largest in Italy, perhaps planted by Basilian monks, with a diameter of approximately 12 meters and a cavity within the trunk that is three meters high; the white fir of the brigand Musolino, in the province of Vibo Valentia, which legend has it was a point of reference and site of meetings between bandits; the Cerzeto Beech, a specimen of about 40 meters chosen by San Francesco di Paola for his stops during his travels.
Furthermore, some splendid specimens of chestnut are also part of the list, such as the one found in the municipality of Cerva, which now represents a symbol for the local chestnut growers, imposing with its 9.5 meter trunk circumference, and those in the municipality of San Luca: the Pietra Cappa and Fontanelle chestnuts, both majestic with a trunk circumference of 6.5 and 9.5 meters respectively.
“It’s about – Councilor Calabrese finally remarked – about another concrete initiative which aims to promote wider knowledge, valorisation and protection of the important natural heritage that characterizes our region. Monumental trees are not only beautiful but contain the history of a specific area. They are the merit of the beautiful landscapes that characterize Calabria, often located within highly important tourist-naturalistic itineraries which increasingly represent a great tourist attractor and, therefore, also a possible driving force for tourism and the economy of the Calabria region”.