The Association Patriarchs of Nature in Italy has catalogued over 5000 ancient trees, familiarly known as Patriarchs, growing on Italian soil. These monumental trees are part of our history and should be preserved with care, said Association president Sergio Guidi at a recent conference with foreign journalists in Rome.

The grandfather of them all, Italys oldest tree, is believed to be the wild olive of Luras at Oristano (Sardinia). It is calculated to be some 3,800 years old and has become a popular tourist attraction in the area. It is closely followed by the massive Chestnut of the Hundred Horses at Sant'Alfio, on the slopes of Etna, Sicily. It measures 52 metres round its base and is thought to be some 3000 years old.

Surviving ancient trees are to be found all over Italy and members of the public are being encouraged to report any venerable trees that have not yet been included in the Associations archive. The list is therefore growing  all the time.

The Association has recently published two books of photographs of the ancient fruit and nut-bearing trees in the Emilia Romagna region, which appears to have the highest number of Patriarchs ( 1,030 censored) These include spectacular examples such as the so-called Osteria del Bugeon, an 800-year old chestnut with a large cavity in the base of its trunk containing a bench which can seat 12 people, the spreading fig tree of Cavana, of unknown age but with a base that extends over 50 metres and the 300-year old pear tree of Ghirardo, 22 metres high and still producing an annual harvest of edible little brown pears.

this important to study these plants to find out why they have lived so long and been able to survive disease and adverse conditions over the ages, Guidi explained. The genes of these trees contain the secret of their longevity. This is particularly important for the future of agriculture, when we shall have to cope with global warming and the problems connected with climatic changes.

For information: www.patriarchinatura.it  

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