immortality osnabruck

Transcript

76
International Congress on The Trees of History
SECURING OF BREAK-ENDANGERED TREE CROWNS
Klaus Schröder
Urban Forestry Service - Osnabrück
Abstract
Breaking-off of crown parts, forks and large branches are the most common types of
failure of urban trees (WILDE, 1996), resulting in substantial damage to objects and persons.
Additionally, the trees are also often irreversibly damaged. Reasons for this type of failure
usually include bark in forks, decay or fractures in branches. As an alternative to lop crowns
or felling hazardous trees, systems for securing of break-endangered tree crowns were
developed. One of the first of these systems was the double belt System Osnabrück,
conceived by the green-department of the City of Osnabrück, Germany (SCHRÖDER, 1990).
Introduction
Creatures of nature are normally adapted to withstand weather because regular recurrent
situations have resulted in optimising processes of permanent adaption and selection over a
long period of time. As an example of such creations of nature, trees are often exposed to
extreme weather and they must resist storm, rain, snow and ice. Forces with an impact of
some tons must be withstood. The experience of arborists shows, that straight grown trees,
as well as certain types of branches best resist the rigours of the weather, whereas other
shapes fail in this respect under the same conditions. Rugged tree crowns can be achieved
with simple methods such as planting correctly grown trees and proper breeding pruning
adapted to the actual development of the trees. Consequently, the implementation of crown
securing systems would not become necessary.
However, in case of the old tree population with problematic crowns preventive measures
cannot help and it is for these old trees that crown securing systems have been developed.
In Germany, the law requires that the breaking-off of parts of trees must be prevented,
according to the decision of the Federal Court from 21. January 1965 concerning the legal
duty to maintain safety. It states amongst other things, that the responsible party must
remove trees and parts thereof which endanger traffic, particularly in those cases when
these are no longer steadfast or parts thereof are in danger of breaking off (BRELOER 1996).
Securing break-endangered crowns is therefore an alternative to felling or lop crowns
and offers an acceptable implementation of the law which requires the removal of above
mentioned dangers.
Left illustration: So called pressure forks are optimised for withstanding pressure in the forking area.
Nonetheless, the narrowest point between the stems is exposed to great tension in the contact zone when
the stems are bent by weather. The cross section shows, that there is bark enclosed in the contact area of
the fork and only the outer annual rings have grown together. This type of fork breaks relatively often under
traction power. Therefore, securing is important in most cases.
Central illustration: So called tension forks are normally naturally well-formed. These are not at risk of
breaking any more often than other healthy parts of trees.
Right illustration: The installation of a crown securing system (break-securing) works like the pivot of a
seesaw. The swing of the stems away from each other is transformed and results in pressure on the forking,
for which this area is optimally shaped. Consequently, the break can be avoided. (Illustration by / comments
according to MATTHECK)
Torino, April 1st - 2nd, 2004
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Illustration of Crown Securing Systems
(Figures and parts of the text in support of the German rules and regulations for tree
care methods - volume 2001 ZTV-Baumpflege- Ausgabe 2001-)
Crown Anchoring System: Made of threaded bolts, steel cable, and fastening material.
NONE-injury free installation.
The extent of injury caused by the installation of crown anchoring systems is so
great that this system should not be used in the future
Hollow Rope Securing Systems: Made of braided synthetic fibre. The rope is spliced
back through the hollow rope and is fixed by tension. Therefore, no additional fastening
elements are necessary (Single Component Securing System). Injury free installation.
(VETTER & WESSOLLY, 1994)
Band Securing System (Gurtbandsicherung): Made of woven synthetic fibres, and
slung around those parts of the tree crown which are to be secured. The belt is locked with
a buckle (Single Component Securing System). Injury free installation. (SINN, 1989)
Multi Component Securing System (Double Belt Securing System): Made of separate
belts, with a loop on each end. Most of these products consist of a strong, outer holding
belt and a second inner fastening belt, which includes a stretch element in some cases. The
connecting elements (e.g. synthetic hollow ropes, steel cable) are pulled through the end
loops. Injury free installation. (SCHRÖDER, 1993)
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Multi component securing system - double belt System Osnabrück: broad belts, tightly fixed around the
trunks (or the trunk and the branch), absorb the power occurring in mobile parts of the crown and divert it
into stable tree parts. Elasticity and high breaking force are the best requirements for using synthetic fibres
in crown securing systems. In this case (left ill.) all components are made of polyester fibres. The connecting
element is a hollow rope, but every other suitable connecting element can be considered. Therefore the
double belt securing systems provide a variety of possibilities. The stretching element in the fastening belt
(right ill.) prevents the secured tree parts from growing over the belt (Ill.: KREKELAAR)
In 1997 beech trees were examined in an urban forest in Osnabrück. In these trees double belt securing
systems had been installed six years ago. Results of the wood-biological investigations prove that It can be
stated that even after six years, no damage to the trees resulted from the installation of the crown securing
system. (STOBBE, DUJESIEFKEN & SCHRÖDER, 2000)
Break-securing / Fall-securing
Methods of crown securing should be functionally differentiated according to whether
these prohibit breakage or prevent parts of trees from falling down. (SCHRÖDER, 2002; SPATZ,
2003). While break-securing aims at preventing parts of the crown in the first place whereas
fall-securing is designed to prevent a part of the crown from falling down after it has come
to a break, despite the attachment of a break-securing system. Fall-securing thus aims at
keeping the branch up in the tree.
Installation
Before installing a crown securing system one should be examined, whether pruning of
the tree crown is necessary or possible.
Break-securing systems should be installed at a height of 2/3 of the secured part of the
crown, if possible in a triangular connection. When a single break-protection is applied, an
additional ring connection should also be used in order to lessen the risk of a twisting
break. Install at right angles from the axes of the parts of the tree crown. The natural
mobility of the secured parts of the tree crowns should be taken into consideration, in order
to further encouraged the adaptive growth in the now mechanically burdened parts of the
tree.
Calculation
The calculation of break protection systems shown below is founded upon the following
securing philosophies: Crown securing systems (break protection systems are meant here,
the author) be dimensioned tree equitable if the earliest point at which they fail is the point
at which the secured crown part in mechanically healthy condition would fail under the same
stress (BETHGE, MATTHECK & SCHRÖDER, 1993). Accordingly, where a branch- or forking
defect is assumed, a crown securing system (break protection system authors note) must
withstand as much stress as the corresponding structure in a mechanically healthy condition
could hold (SPATZ, 2003).
Break protections should be calculated in according with the following calculation formula:
(BETHGE, MATTHECK & SCHRÖDER, 1993)
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Illustration: GEMEIN
sB indicates the medium bending strength (Biegebruch) of green woods. These values
originate from the American and English literature (LAVERS, 1983; US FOREST PRODUCTS
LABORATORY, 1987). They are presented in Mpa, for use in the above formula they should be
converted into kp/cm² (and therefore multiplied by 10,2) in order to reach the bearing
capacity tonnage (t) of crown securing systems common in arboriculture. R equals the
radius of the secured part at its base (or the potential point of fracture) and h (2/3 of the
total length) represents the distance between the break-securing to be applied and the
base of the tree part to be secured.
The following table, based on the above mentioned formula, has been developed in
order to help practitioners with actual set-ups on location, with consultation and with
financial estimates. It allows to rapidly and exactly working out the dimension of necessary
break-securing systems (SCHRÖDER 2004). The relatively common H/D-ratio values of 20,
30 and 40 (Height [total length] / Diameter) were applied to the crown parts. As an
example the table is shown with the H/D-ratio of 40. All tables can be downloaded from
internet under www.demetra.net .
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Table for the Dimension of Break-Protections
Example: H/D-Ratio:40
Precautionary advice
Conditions for the application of the tables must be a generally right angle binding of the
break-securing to the tree part to be secured and its securing in 2/3 of the total length.
Because not all conditions of a tree or the influence of weather at the particular location
can be taken into account, it is recommended to estimate the factors of dimension generously.
This means that if in doubt select a higher collapse load than necessary! With regard to the
tables, this would result in choosing a lower H/D-ratio. The calculated collapse load must
still be sufficient towards the end of a crown securing system s working life.
Should a truncation of the particular crown part be carried out parallel to installing a
break securing system, the estimation of the necessary size of the break-securing can
occur according to the H/D-ratio calculated before the pruning took place.
The tables may only be used if the crown parts are unable to plunge in free fall after an
eventual break. Therefore, no crucial dynamical loads are expected and the calculated H/Dratio in the actual case is available.
The breaking out of heavy crown parts and the resulting acceleration of gravity is only
controllable, when supplementary fall-securing systems are installed. Thus, these must be
used in order to prevent fall movements of broken crown parts immediately after breaking
out.
However, even in this case when the height of fall merely equals the rope stretching, the
securing components experience at least double the weight load of the branch which is held.
A tree part which weighs 1 tonne therefore exerts a dynamic load upon the fall-securing
system which corresponds to a weight of at least 2 tonnes. The dynamic load increases
over proportionally through increasing the height of fall. If, for instance, this branch should
fall one meter, the superlative factor may increase manifold (TESARI, MUNZINGER & MATTHECK,
2003).
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Components from material with a high collapse load are especially suitable for fall-securing
systems. In Germany different single- and multi component systems are available from
various suppliers, whereby the load-bearing capacity differs greatly. Details and figures are
available from the following addresses:
Fabritz GmbH ([email protected]/www.gefa-fabritz.de)
GEFA- Schlaufenband multi component securing system.
Connecting elements = hollow ropes and steel cable
GEFA-Gurtband mit Schnalle single component securing system:
Libre Power sails ([email protected]/www.libre.de)
Libre-Baumhalteschlaufen - multi component securing system
Connecting elements = hollow ropes and steel cable
Meyerdiercks ([email protected]/www.meyerdiercks.de)
CrownTex multi component securing system (double belt System Osnabrück).
Connecting elements = hollow ropes, steel cable and any other connecting element with a
sufficient load-bearing capacity.
pbs-GmbH ([email protected]/www.cobranet.de)
cobra single component securing system
ZENITH ([email protected]/www.zenith24.de)
Crown Keeper - single component securing system
Shock absorption
When break-securing systems slow down crown movements, this should happen in a
gentle manner without a sudden stop of the secured tree parts. Otherwise this could
cause injuries. However, even the securing system itself should be spared from strong
dynamic loads, because strains by sudden stops can much reduce the durability of synthetic
woven fabrics and roping, a phenomenon we know from seat belts.
All known types of crown securing systems can be equipped with shock absorption at low
extra costs, whether it is a single or multi component securing system or a connection to
the tree parts through roping, band or steel cable. The shock absorption occurs simply
trough the integration of elements also known in boating sport (SCHRÖDER, 2002).
However, it has to be kept in mind, that shock absorbers may under certain circumstances
cause a reduction of the load-bearing capacity, e. g. when these are fed into hollow ropes
(TESARI, MUNZINGER & MATTHECK, 2003).
If a rope of artificial fibres is used as a connecting element, an additional installation of a
shock absorber might indeed not even be necessary. Due to their construction- and materialstretchability, these materials are often elastic enough to already function shock-absorbingly.
An elasticity rate of 10 % is not unusual.
For this reason, the usage of this type of rope, in certain cases, meets the need for a
retarding and soft braking of swinging crown parts. Control
Control
Materials used for the crown-securing systems age due to the influence of various
factors. In the crown, the materials have to endure exposure to sunshine, frost, rain,
soiling, perhaps also microorganisms, as well as mechanical strain such as the braking of
vibrations, amongst other things, all affecting the efficiency of the installed crown securing
system.
The chemical and physical influences do not pass without leaving trace. Metals begin to
corrode, synthetic fibres become brittle, splices and knots might loosen. Therefore, the
efficiency of crown-securing systems must be checked regularly, according to the instructions
of the manufacturer. The following checklist can be helpful when doing so (SCHRÖDER, 2002).
The check-up of the securing system should be documented. For this purpose, forms
have been designed which cannot be printed here, due to lack of space. However, they can
be downloaded from internet under www.demetra.net .
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Checklist for the visual control of crown securings
1.
General
1.1. Is/are the installed crown securing system/s still suitable for the current safety
requirements?
1.2. Is the crown securing installed expertly?
1.3. Is, as far as individually relevant, the material suitable for the bearing of continual
loads?
1.4. Has the crown securing system changed position?
1.5. Is the position of the securing system situated at 2/3 of the total length of the tree
part to be secured (above the base)?
1.6 Are the components ingrow-endangered?
1.7 Are the connecting elements secure?
1.8 Is the installation of further securing systems (e. g. fall securing systems) or securing
levels necessary?
1.9 When was the crown securing system installed, is a replacement necessary, according
to the manufacturer?
1.10 Other
2.
2.1.
2.2.
2.3.
2.4.
2.5.
2.6.
Checking the components
Corrosion or brittleness of metal components?
Torn ropework fibres / belts?
Other visual recognizable signs of a diminishing ability of load-bearing?
Fixed screw connection of wire-rope clips when using steel cable?
Correct condition of splices or knots when using rope work?
Other
3.
3.1.
3.2.
3.3.
3.4.
3.5.
3.6.
Checking the tree
Ingrown parts of crown securing systems?
Chafing caused by girdled components?
Chafing caused by connecting elements?
Rot?
Breaksafety of supporting tree parts guaranteed?
Other
4.
4.1.
4.2.
4.3.
4.4.
4.5.
4.6.
Removal of deficiencies
Renewing the complete crown securing system
Adapting the crown securing system to the current situation
(Loosening) widening the securing belt, band securing or hollow rope
Installing supplementary crown securing systems e. g. fall-securing systems
Replacement of damaged parts / systems
Other
5.
5.1.
5.2.
5.3.
5.4.
Tree care measures
Realisation of relieving pruning measures
Removal of ingrown components
Wound treatment
Other
Exemption from liability
The tables were designed to our best knowledge their use from the original version is
permitted for everyone. The writer expressively emphasises, that the control and dimensioning
of crown securing systems must happen according of the judgement and specialized knowledge
of the individual expert. Conditions for each individual case have to be carefully considered.
Therefore, the writer is exempt from any liability for damage to persons, objects or property
resulting from the use of these tables.
The writer reserves the right for additions and alterations for the purpose of optimizing.
Suggestions and advice are welcome.
Zusammenfassung
Der Ausbruch von Kronenteilen, Zwiesel und langen Ästen, stellt die häufigste Versagensart
bei Stadtbäumen dar (W ILDE , 1996). Hieraus können schwerwiegende Sach- und
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Personenschäden resultieren. Aber auch die betroffenen Bäume werden durch einen Ausbruch
häufig irreversibel geschädigt. Ursache für dieses Versagen sind üblicherweise eingeschlossene
Rinde in Zwieseln sowie Fäule und Risse in Ästen. Als Alternative zur Kappung oder Fällung
solcher als bruchgefährdet erkannter Bäume wurden Kronensicherungssysteme entwickelt.
Eines der ersten dieser Kronensicherungssysteme war das Doppelgurtsystem Osnabrück,
erdacht im Grünflächenamt der Stadt Osnabrück (SCHRÖDER 1990).
Many thanks to ELENA SCHMITZ & KARIM MC LEOD for translation and SVEN DÜYFFCKE & THOMAS MAAG for assistance!
References
BETHGE, K., MATTHECK, C. & SCHRÖDER, K. (1994): Dimensionierung von Kronensicherungen ohne
Windlastabschätzung. Das Gartenamt 4/1994. Patzer Verlag, Berlin Hannover.
BRELOER, H. (1996): Verkehrssicherungspflicht für Bäume aus rechtlicher und fachlicher Sicht.
Bernhard Thalacker Verlag, Braunschweig, 1996
FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT LANDSCHAFTSENTWICKLUNG LANDSCHAFTSBAU E. V., BONN: ZTV-Baumpflege, Zusätzliche
Technische Vertragsbedingungen und Richtlinien für Baumpflege, Ausgabe 2001
LAVERS, G. (1983): The strength properties of timber. Building Research Establishment Report, 3.
edition, HMSO, London.
SCHRÖDER, K. (1990): Doppelgurt für Bäume. Deutscher Gartenbau 31/1990. Verlag Eugen Ulmer,
Stuttgart.
SCHRÖDER, K. (1993): The double Belt System For Tree Crown Stabilization. Arboricultural Journal,
volume 17, Number 4, November 1993.
SCHRÖDER, K. (2002): Zur Ruckdämpfung von Kronensicherungen. LA Landschaftsarchitektur, März
2002, Thalacker Medien, Braunschweig
SCHRÖDER, K. (2002): Zur Kontrolle von Kronensicherungen. LA Landschaftsarchitektur Mai 2002,
Thalacker Medien, Braunschweig
SCHRÖDER, K. (2002): Die Auffangsicherung, integrales Element der Kronensicherung. GrünForum.LA,
September 2002, Thalacker Medien, Braunschweig.
SCHRÖDER, K. (2004): Zur Dimensionierung von Kronensicherungen. GrünForum.LA, Februar 2004,
Thalacker Medien, Braunschweig.
SINN, G. (1989): Ein neues Kronensicherungssystem zur Verkehrssicherheit von Bäumen. Neue
Landschaft 84/1989, Patzer Verlag, Hannover, Berlin
SPATZ, H.- C.(2003): Kronensicherung und Auffangsicherung. Ein Kommentar zur ZTV-Baumpflege
2001, Tabelle 1 des Anhangs. Stadt und Grün 67/2003. Patzer Verlag, Berlin- Hannover.
STOBBE, H., DUJESIEFKEN, D. & SCHRÖDER, K. (2000): Tree Crown Stabilization with the Double-Belt
System Osnabrück; Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 26, No.5, Sept. 2000, pp. 270-274
TESARI, I., MUNZINGER, M & MATTHECK, C. (2003): Untersuchungen zu Kronensicherungssystemen. 9.
VTA - Spezialseminar Messen und Beurteilen am Baum 1. 2. April 2003, Forschungszentrum
Karlsruhe.
US FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY (1987): Wood Handbook. Wood as an engeneering material. Agricultural
Handbook 72. US Department of Agriculture.
VETTER, H. & WESSOLLY, L. (1994): Ein neuartiges Seilsystem zur Sicherung von Baumkronen. Neue
Landschaft 1/94. Patzer Verlag, Berlin Hannover.
WILDEM. (1996): Baumkontrollen im Rahmen der Verkehrssicherungspflicht als Aufgabe kommunaler
Verwaltungen. Schriftenreihe des Fachbereichs Landschaftsarchitektur, Heft 13, Fachhochschule
Osnabrück, 1996
84
COMPRESSED AIR DIGGING DEVICE AS A TOOL FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF ROOT
SYSTEMS. A CASE HISTORY
A. Pestalozza, G. Passola, F. Ferrari
1. Introduction
When considering trees in built environments, as cities or roadways, the interactions
among trees building and utilities are critical. Trees are strongly affected by development;
construction influences the space available above and below ground as well the surrounding
microclimate. In the other hand trees may also directly impact constructions an infrastructures
built near them. Trees may develop against utility lines or against buildings or grow into
sewers and other drainage pipes. Tree roots are often damaged during building maintenance
operation or construction projects, particularly
during trenches excavation for underground
installation as pipelines, phone, electrical cables
etc.
Conventional soil scrapers are heavy
machinery, such as excavators or backhoes,
which heavily impacted the root systems during
the soil removal and the trench creation. Soil
excavation should be necessary during the
above mentioned situations or in addition for
tree root inspection as well as for soil
decompactation.
The root inspection performed by soil
excavation is a very useful practice, basically
for city trees, when it is necessary to evaluate
Figure 1 Roots attacking a wall
the root system conditions in order to have
information about tree stability. As we know it
is very difficult to assess root damages by means traditional VTA techniques even if
supported by instrumental analysis.
2. How to inspect and manage root system
Different alternative soil excavation methods exist that preserve tree roots. These methods
include manual, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. The manual soil excavation system is
performed by hand tools such as shovels, weeding hoe, small rakes and brushes, to remove
soil from the root zone. The benefit of this method is that the tool cost is very low and the
workers training too. In the other hand, from the financial point of view, the working time is
maximize and from the qualitative point of view only the large roots are preserved while
smaller diameter roots are often broken. The hydraulic soil excavation system has been
recently refined (Gross, 1995) by using water to remove soil from the root surface. This
technique is the most powerful and therefore the fastest of the alternative soil excavation
methods. There are several drawbacks in that method as high water consumption, slurry
production (to be drained) and fertile soil substitution. The pneumatic system produce a
series of small explosions away from non porous objects, such as underground utilities or
plant roots, the air flow impact is quite soft
against these bodies because the excavated
soil is transformed into scrapes or small
fragments so this technique protects tree
roots, including small diameter and fine roots.
Additional benefits of the pneumatic soil
excavation method is the unlimited air supply,
relatively minimal clean up and reusability of
the excavate. The pneumatic soil excavation
system can also be used in combination along
with conventional machinery. First the soil
among the roots is excavated pneumatically
then a conventional excavator can be used
below the root level to increase the trench
depth and the production rate, avoiding root
Figure 2 - Two person crew do about 70 m2/day
damages.
for about 0.2-0.25 m depht
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3. Case history
3.1 VTA in Caserta Botanical Garden: Un example of root inspection by AS system
In April 2003 has been made a root inspection of a great Cupressus macrocarpa situated
inside the Caserta Botanical Garden. This tree was affected by a large internal cavity in the
stem, detected by Resistograph system, but no other defect was found.
The inspection was made by Air-Spade tools, using a big compressor with 4500 l/h air
flow and pressure about 7 bar. This tool was chosen in order to avoid damage at the root
system, and for his easy use and efficacy. The various step of the intervention have been:
- To cut very short the grass, in order to simplify the excavation.
- Preparation of the yard. Is very important to bound the yard with special tissue, to avoid
accidental damage to person or things, caused by chips or flying gravel.
- Digging. Depending of the soil density, moisture and compactness, is possible to remove
different quantity of material.
The inspection of the Cupressus roots showed us
something unexpected, in fact there was a large
injury and cavity in the main and secondary roots.
All the wounds was situated about 1,5 meter from
the stem, and they was probably caused by a deep
ploughing made during the park maintenance after a
long time of disuse. The biggest hurt in the root
showed in the picture has probably advanced in the
wood till the stem, causing the big hollow detected
before. Inspection allows us to understand the cause
of the internal defect, and show how is dangerous
to plough or excavate next the tree. Besides this
work will help the tree in the future growing, because
the soil has been improved adding lapillus and a lot of
Figure 3 - Serious damages under
nutritive elements.
soil level
3.2 Yard operation around root system: how to dig, how to find, deviate and
properly cut root branches
The air excavation is a hand held tool that produces a laser-like jet of air moving at
approximately 2000 km/h, i.e. twice the speed of sound. The tool consists of a manually
operated, spring return, on / off valve, a rigid barrel, and a supersonic nozzle. It is to be
connected to a standard industrial air compressor capable of producing the above stated
flow at the above stated pressure. Air excavation system is really easy and efficacious
digging system, and in order to operate is enough to follow some simple rules. Is basic to use
the right compressor, in order to have the necessary powerful. For the standard nozzle, it is
recommended that this tool would be used with a
compressor rated at a minimum 4.6 m3/min, and 6.4
bar . If alternate nozzles are purchased, the
compressor must be of sufficient pressure capacity,
6.4 bar, and have a flow at least equivalent to 110%
of the nozzles m3/min rating. During the digging
operation, the operator have always to wear
appropriate protective work clothing and equipment.
Cut and puncture resistant gloves, approved safely
eye glasses with side shields and / or face protection,
and approved hearing protective earplugs or earmuffs
are recommended. In extremely dusty conditions,
operator should wear approved respiratory
protection.
Figure 4 Transplanting operation
For normal excavation, the best performance is
(G. Passola)
achieved by holding the nozzle roughly perpendicular
to the ground Depending on the soil type, the air-system is best moved along the surface to
be excavated at a rate on the order of one to two foot per second (0.3 to 0.6 m/sec).
Except in very hard and compacted clays, dwelling on the same spot tends to reduce the
rate at which material is excavated and can increase the amount of material blown away
from the excavation site. When boring a narrow hole in the soil, the tendency to expose the
operator to material blown back directly out of the hole is increased. The air system for
general excavation is supplied with an auxiliary dirt shield that serves to confine any excavated
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material that may become airborne from leaving the general area of the nozzle. If soil is
encountered that is difficult to dig, try adding some water to soften. Repeat until the
desired results are obtained. The air excavation is essential in every kind of work side by
side the tree. Is particularly indicated in root collar excavation, radial trenching bare rooting,
transplanting, and moving large tree, work root structure analysis, new construction and
landscape architecture, installing irrigation lines and locating utilities. A correct digging
permits to follow all the main root, and deviate it, in order to avoid all the possible cut. The
root bending, have to be made for little angle, because the roots are not too flexible and
risk to have internal crack. If the cuts are inevitable we can choose where and how to cut,
reducing the impact in the big tree. During the root pruning is essential make little and
careful cut, using un apposite saw. If the analysis, and the digging are made in a hot and
sunny days, we have to cover all the roots using a wet jute o tissue, to preserve vitality
condition.
3.3 Inspection and un-compaction
Inspection activity, quite often has a good feedback for the tree
Air excavation permits to have complete view over the roots system, showing all the hide
defects. For this reason is considered a very good way to assess the root system conditions.
Air digging has the double purpose to analyze roots and to improve the soil features. First of
all, excavation reduce the soil compacting, and increase the underground oxygen next the
roots. The soil could be improved too with the addition of nutritive elements, humus, micro
elements, mycorrhiza, lapis, acc The choice of the elements depending of the health
status of the tree, and the soil condition. Our experience show that trees enjoy the soil
improvement, and the effect are manifested already the first year after application. Would
be better to repeat the treatment the following years, in order to increase the success
likelihood.
4. Conclusions
4.1 Air excavation and removal soil system is essential for the tree assessment
requiring a root inspection
Air excavation, and every kind of removal soil
system solve just the inspection problems. Is
necessary in fact to have the necessary experience
to evaluate the soil and the root conditions, in order
to advance advice about tree and root stability. Right
wood inspection device, as Resistograph or sonic
instrument are always essential to evaluate wood
condition and defect detection. But roots strength
could be detected only with dynamic system, that
check the tree behavior submitted to natural o
artificial stress.
4.2 It gives a good contribute to clarify root geometry and conservation
Air excavation as we have demonstrated permits to have a complete view of the roots
geometry and conservation. The health wood condition and the smallest root twigs vigour
could be checked. The complete or partial absence of root twigs indicate a poorness of
nutritive elements or oxygen in the soil, that is possible to improve thanks good soil and
nutritive elements add. The air excavation overwork the soil macro porosity, destroying all
the compact earth. For that reason the roots and the pipes lacking of macro porosity are
not destroyed.
4.3 It is very handily efficient and financially cheap
Air excavation for its efficiency and easy use is considered really advantageous. This
system need just un adequate compressor and the air tools indeed. No long experience or
complex instrument are request. In other world doesnt exist, at the moment, other way to
excavate so cheap, complete and suitable for this work.
87
Bibliography
The landscape below ground (D. Neely, G. Watson)
Trees & building sites (D. Neely, G. Watson)
Supersonic Air Jets Preserve Tree Roots in Underground Pipeline Installation (R. Gross, M. Julene)
Vita da alberi a Milano (ACER 4/2001 A. Pestalozza; A. Pellegatta)
Air Excavation to improve Tree Health (T. Smiley Tree care Industry)
Posters
90
International Congress on the Trees of History
91
MONUMENT TREES AS WITNESSES OF LOCAL POTENTIAL VEGETATION AND LANDSCAPE
EVOLUTION
G. Barbera1, S. Pasta2 and T. La Mantia1
1
2
Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Facoltà di Agraria - Palermo
Palermo
Introduction
During the last years several researches have been carried out on the Italian monumental
trees; more recently, more attention has been paid on Sicilian ones (Schicchi and Raimondo,
1999). Monument trees are getting more and more important for the key role they play as
witnesses of both local natural history and human activity. Besides, through modern tools,
such as Pressler increment borer, monument tress can be exploited also to obtain accurate
data on climate and atmosphere evolution during the last centuries.
The study case of the monument trees of the Favorita Park is here discussed. This Park,
between Monte Pellegrino and the city of Palermo, is about 300 Ha wide and belongs to the
B zone of Monte Pellegrino Nature Preserve, instituted by Sicilian Autonomous Regional
Government in 1995. This Park gives hospitality to some scattered relics of semi-natural
vegetation, while other surfaces are still occupied by .crops and formal gardens deriving
from the first decades of the XIXth century.
Study area
Some information on the environmental characteristics, the history and the land use
evolution of the Favorita Park are useful for a better understanding of the value of the
monumental trees which live in it. Palermo Plane is characterized by a typical Mediterranean
climate and a very good soil quality; thus, no surprise that the area was known as ü êÞðïò
(= the Garden) by Greeks (Rocci, 1980), was called Geonard (= the Paradise on Earth) by
Arabs (Pirrone et al., 1990), and, since the XVIth century, was named Conca dOro (= the
Golden Valley). The local original climax probably was a mixed forest dominated by the
evergreen holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) and some deciduous thermophilous oaks such as
Quercus virgiliana (Ten.) Ten. and Q. amplifolia Guss (Fig.1). Centuries of frequent and
intense human impact (cutting, wildfires, grazing, cultivation and, more recently, pollution,
urbanisation, afforestation and alien plants introduction) totally erased the primary vegetation
in the whole territory. Favorita Park is someway an exception within this sad picture.
The Park history is strictly linked to the Christmas day of 1798, when King Ferdinand IV of
Bourbon escaped from Naples to Palermo. Already in the first months of the following year,
through a royal edit, he bought the goods of many local noble families (Airoldi, Salerno,
Pietratagliata, Niscemi, Vannucci, Malvagna, Lombardo, etc.). In a few months, the Real
tenuta della Favorita was ready, so that the king could enjoy his favourite hobbies: hunting
and agriculture. Little woods, dominated by plants typical to the Mediterranean evergreen
maquis, were planted; they were interrupted by numerous hunting lanes, alle statues and
doric columns: A certe determinate distanze sincontrano delle deliziose colline che incantano
lo sguardo colle mirabili e variate scene della natura Si osserva in una di queste un
ombroso e solitario boschetto, nel di cui centro sorge la statua di marmo bianco della
cacciatrice Diana. (Palermo, 1816). At the same time, some experimental fields were realized,
such as orchards and vineyards, whose irrigation system are easy to recognize still nowadays:
Si sono da S.[ua] M.[aestà] tentate in questi terreni diverse speculazioni ed esperimenti al
miglioramento dellagricoltura, applicandovi le teorie dei moderni e più accreditati autori, i
quali su queste agrarie materie hanno dottamente scritto e la vegetazione delle piante,
delle frutta, e di altre produzioni, ne ha riportato un utile e felice successo. (Palermo,
1816). Pasca (1868) writes that dalla Real Favorita venne larancio-mandarino di cui la
pianta madre primitiva esiste tuttora sin dal 1810, e oggi se ne fa commercio.
As well documented (La Mantia, in press), the local crops were the same of the Piana dei
Colli (localized between the ancient city and the northern villages of Mondello and
Sferracavallo). Olive groves were the most widespread culture, together with almond
(Amygdalus communis), sumac (Rhus coriaria) and prickle pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)
cultivations, while mulberries (Morus alba and M. nigra), carobs (Ceratonia siliqua), wallnuts
(Juglans regia), figs (Ficus carica) Mediterranean hackberry (Celtis australis) and annual
crops were rare. Between 1856 and 1922 the area experienced some relevant changes in
land use patterns: Arundo donax, Rhus coriaria and Fraxinus ornus cultivation and of most
part of the annual crops, once characterising the local agricultural landscape, totally
disappeared, while a powerful spreading of Citrus orchards (from 12 to 31 Ha), led in the
following years to a local triumph of citrus cultivation (Fig.2).
92
Investigation methodology
Our field survey, carried out within the Favorita Park, aimed to individuate the most
noteworthy trees. This census was achieved by using a schedule already available in literature
but modified. These schedules (see annexes 1-2) contain the following data: Identity (binomial
classification, family and vernacular name); Localization (municipality, name of the locality,
way of access); Ownership (public or private); Environmental characteristics of the stand
(altitude, exposition, inclination and substrate); Major morphological (general description,
maximum circumference at 1,30 m, overall plant height, crown width, estimated age) and
biological characteristics (vegetative and phytosanitary state); Threats; Proposed
interventions. A particular attention was payed to verify both the vegetative and phytosanitary
state and the proposed interventions. In case of lack of dendrochronological relieves, the
age of the plants has been estimated.
Results
Notwithstanding the lack of a standard definition of what monument trees actually are,
there is no doubt that within the Favorita Park grow several noteworthy plants.Most of them
derive from the XVIII century shaping and designing of the park itself, while only in some
cases they seem to be native plants survived to man impact and, thus, they are localized in
the most undisturbed areas. During this preliminary field survey 29 monument trees have
been encountered: 13 Quercus, 6 Cupressus, 3 Pinus, 2 Schinus, 2 Celtis, 1 Olea, 1 Ceratonia,
1 Morus. These trees grow within the wood, hedges, or as relics within the cultivated areas.
Monument trees play a major role in defining the local potential vegetation. For example, the
huge individual of Quercus virgiliana was probably already there before Bourbons interventions,
as its estimated age is of about 300 years. Up to the middle of the XXth century, another
large white oak grew not far from this one, and its acorns were toasted by local farmers to
make a surrogate of coffee. The presence of this white oak confirms the current hypotheses
on the potential vegetation of the Park and of the whole Conca dOro (Brullo & Marcenò,
1985; AA.VV., 1996; Gianguzzi et al., 1996). Besides, this plant probably is the last - and the
only - native deciduous oak detected in the whole Conca dOro since when Gussone (18421845), more than 150 years ago, noticed Q. virgiliana elsewhere in the Plane, near Roccazzo.
Still nowadays Favorita Park maintains many evidences of the transformations it underwent
due to the intervention planned by King Ferdinand IV: on Monte Pellegrino foots still survive
the last examples of dry orchards, with olive and almond groves. Within these orchards, it is
still possible to find some very old olive trees (Olea europaea), carobs (Ceratonia siliqua)
and white mulberries (Morus alba). Most part of the censed monument trees (12 holm oaks,
6 cypresses, 3 stone pine, 3 Peruvian peppertree and 2 Mediterranean hackberry) grow
within the little Quercus ilex-dominated woods realized by Bourbons or along the hedges
(Fig.3). The artificial origin of the little holm-oak woods is revealed by the geometric patterns
of their design and shape; nevertheless, in those scattered areas of artificial forest, which
could be classified as old coppices, it is still possible to glimpse the primary vegetation of
the Park and, more generally, that of the whole Conca dOro. In particular, the biggest holm
oak trees give an image of high wilderness.
Conclusions
Favorita Parks monumental trees shall be considered as witnesses of all the different
land use typologies once present in the area and allow us to make some hypotheses on the
local potential vegetation and on the landscape evolution as well. This census shall be
considered as a starting point for a more accurate investigation on the tree heritage of the
Favorita Park. The active safeguard of these plants (e.g. through germplasm gathering,
conservation and diffusion) is very important; besides, many of these plants need a periodic
monitoring and some dendrochirurgical cares, as they are weakened due to their age .Future
investigations should offer further surprises. For example, the huge Quercus virgiliana (Ten.)
Ten. was never noticed before, although if careful investigations have been recently carried
out on the flora (Raimondo, 1992), the vegetation (Gianguzzi et al., 1996) and the land use
of the Favorita Park (La Mantia, in press).Another point to clarify is what monument trees
really rare: this concept seems particularly ambiguous if we consider the fruit orchards.
Some mandarin, for example, deriving from the orchard realized at the beginning of XXth
century shall be considered as monuments, indeed, as they were explanted from Citrus
orchards of Palermo city when they were already adults, between 1950 and 1965.
Finally, Favorita Park gives hospitality to several fruit trees, such as a very old apple tree
(similar to limoncella, a very rare local cultivar). Thus, the project to transform the actual
93
agricultural landscape of the Favorita Park to restore the XVIII century design worths a
careful re-consideration.
References
AA.VV., 1996 - Carta della vegetazione potenziale, f.-t.- In: Regione Siciliana, Assessorato Beni
Culturali e Ambientali e Pubblica Istruzione (a cura di), Linee-Guida del Piano Territoriale Paesistico
Regionale.
Brullo S., Marcenò C., 1985 - Contributo alla conoscenza della classe Quercetea ilicis in Sicilia.Not. Fitosoc., 19 (1) [1984]: 183-229.
Gianguzzi L., Ilardi V., Raimondo F.M., 1996 - La vegetazione del promontorio di Monte Pellegrino
(Palermo).- Quad. Bot. ambientale appl., 4 [1993]: 79-137.
Gussone G., 1842-1845 - Florae Siculae Synopsis exhibens plantas vasculares in Sicilia insulisque
adjacentibus hucusque detectas secundum systema Linnaeanum dispositas. Neapoli, Typ. Tramater,
3 voll.
La Mantia T., In press Ecologia e agricoltura nel parco della Favorita. Comune di Palermo
Palermo G., 1816 - Guida Istruttiva - giro della mura, delle porte e delle loro adiacenze- Palermo.
Pirrone G., Buffa M., Mauro E., Sessa E., 1990 - Palermo, detto Paradiso di Sicilia (Ville e Giardini,
XII-XX secolo).- Centro Studi di Storia e Arte dei Giardini, Palermo, 285 + i pp.
Rackham O., 1992 - Trees and woodland in the history and archaeology of the landscape: 249263. In: Bernardi M. (Ed.), Archeologia del paesaggio, IV Ciclo di lezioni sulla ricerca applicata in
Archeologia (Certosa di Pontignano, Siena, 14-26 gennaio 1991), C.N.R. - Univ. Siena. Ed. Allinsegna
del Giglio, Firenze.
Raimondo F.M. (ed.), 1992 - Studio e catalogazione della flora, della vegetazione e delle emergenze
botaniche ed ambientali del Monte Pellegrino (Palermo).- Comune di Palermo, Palermo, Assessorato
Parchi, Verde ed Arredo Urbano, 222 pp. + carta (scala 1:8.000).
Rocci L., 1980 - Vocabolario Greco-Italiano. Soc. Ed. Dante Alighieri, Firenze.
Schicchi R., Raimondo F.M., 1999 - Contributo alla conoscenza degli alberi monumentali delle
Madonie (Sicilia centro-settentrionale).- Naturalista sicil., s. IV, XXIII (1-2): 229-314.
Tabb. 1-2 Schedules examples (Fig.3)
94
Fig.1 The monumental Quercus virgiliana living at Parco della Favorita
Fig.2 The last examples of dry orchard in Conca dOro are found at Parco della Favorita.
Monumental olive trees still live in the area (right plate); in many cases some individuals
pre-existing to citrus orchard plantation survive (left plate)
Fig.3 Hercules column surronded by monumental cypresses in 1930 and present-day pictures
95
96
MOLECULAR TOOLS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF DECAY FUNGI DIRECTLY FROM WOOD
**S. Bergemann, *C. Billi, **M. Garbelotto, *P. Gonthier, *F. Guglielmo, *G. Nicolotti,
**J. Tse
* DI.VA.P.R.A. Plant Pathology University of Torino, Grugliasco (TO), Italy
** Dept. ESPM - University of California at Berkeley California , USA
Summary
A PCR-based technique for the identification directly from wood of some of the most
important decay fungi of standing trees is developed in this study. Taxon-specific Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) primers were designed in the 25S region of the ribosomal DNA for
several taxa of Basidiomycetes belonging to the following genera: Armillaria, Ganoderma,
Hericium, Inonotus, Laetiporus, Omphalotus, Phellinus, Pleurotus, and Stereum. When tested
on colonized wood blocks primers selectively amplified the target species. No cross-reaction
occurred against DNA of closely related genus or species. This procedure serves to be a
promising tool for the rapid diagnosis and identification of decay fungi.
Introduction
Wood decay of trees represents a distinct problem not only for horticulturists and arborists,
but also for veteran tree managers. Problems related to decay in trees range from unappealing
aesthetics to hazardous situations. While only a few decay fungi are directly responsible for
tree mortality, the loss of mechanical strength caused by these organisms is inherently
linked to tree windthrows or limb failures. The detection of hazardous trees is currently
based on Visual Tree Assessment (VTA) (Mattheck and Breloer, 1994), or on related
approaches such as Static Integrated Assessment (SIA) and Static Integrated Methods
(SIM) (Wessolly, 1995).
The basis of VTA is a visual scoring of obvious symptoms (e.g. emerging wood decay,
branch flagging, reduced vigor, etc.) and signs (e.g. ring bulge, cracks, ribs, etc.) known to
be connected to significant decay within the tree. In order for signs and symptoms of decay
to be visible, the decay process must be in a relatively advanced stage. Although good
training and VTA standardization efforts have partially overcome the problems due to the
subjectivity of the observer, VTA still allows for a large error in the evaluation process.
Various and different technologies have been developed to assess extent of decay within
a tree both in invasive (e.g. resistograph, portable drill), and in non-invasive ways (Nicolotti
et al., 2003). Some of them (e.g. resistograph) are already included in VTA protocols to
analyze suspected trees. These approaches are constantly being improved, but they are in
general unable to effectively identify the decay agent in its first stages. This drawback,
while significant for all types of decay, becomes more problematic when the decay agent
may be extremely active and decay may progress extremely rapidly from an undetectable
stage to an hazard stage. Alternatively, this limitation may become serious for types of
white rot decay in which loss of mechanical strength is progressive but extended over
relatively long periods of time. In the case of monumental trees, veteran trees, or trees with
historical importance, this drawback prevents a timely employment of treatments such as
extensive pruning, harnessing, or filling and sealing of the decay cavity.
Fruit bodies differentiation frequently occurs late, when decay is already at an advanced
stage, or often it does not occur at all. That represents a serious problem because, unless
fruiting bodies are visible, it is extremely difficult to diagnose the fungal species responsible
for the decay. Knowledge of the organism(s) involved is pivotal in understanding how fast
the decay process is going to develop, which part of the trees are likely to be involved, and
what is the potential of spread from one tree to neighboring trees. These information may be
of help for prognosis.
Diagnostic methods based upon the detection and the analyses of fungal DNAs, particularly
by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) have been successfully employed in several fields of
plant pathology. However, methods allowing for the distinction of the most important decay
fungi directly from wood are not available yet. The success of these methods is largely
dependent on whether sufficient pure fungal DNA is extracted from wood or not (Jasalavich
et al., 2000; Gonthier et al., 2003; Sicoli et al., 2003). Several technical problems connected
with the complex chemistry of the wood may affect DNA extraction.
The goals of the present study were: i) to develop and test a protocol allowing for
successful fungal DNA extraction and PCR amplification from wood, and ii) to design and test
molecular markers to distinguish some of the most dangerous and widespread decay agents.
97
Material and Methods
Samples used for fungal DNA extraction from wood
Attempts of fungal DNA extraction were carried out on thirty Quercus agrifolia and Q.
kellogii wood samples putatively colonized by fungi. Samples, of about 6x4x2 cm, originated
from different locations in California (USA). To test the extraction of fungal DNA also from
coniferous wood, 10 putatively colonized Pinus cembra samples, originated from Aosta Valley
(Italy), were included in the experiment. Wood samples were stored at 80°C.
DNA extraction from wood for fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS)
amplification
Slivers, of about 1x1x2 mm, obtained from the wood samples were lyophilized for 36
hours in 2 ml Eppendorf tubes. Three sterile glass beads were added to each tube. The
tubes were precooled in liquid nitrogen and then the material was pulverized in an amalgamator
at 6.5 m/sec for 25 sec. The frozen powder was immediately transferred at 80°C before
DNA extraction. The fungal DNA was extracted directly from pulverized wood using the
QIAamp DNA Stool Mini KitTM(Qiagen) according to the manufacturers instructions. A 1:100
dilution of extracted DNA in PCR water was used for amplifications.
The success of fungal DNA extraction from wood was verified using ITS primers specifically
designed for fungi, named ITS-1F (5'-CTTGGTCATTTAGAGGAAGTAA-3') and ITS-4 (5'TCCTCCGCTTATTGCTATGC-3'). Amplifications were carried in 25 ìl volume containing 50mM
MgCl2 (Invitrogen), 10X PCR buffer (Invitrogen), 20mM dNTPs (Invitrogen), 5U/ µl Platinum®
Taq DNA Polymerase (Invitrogen). Reactions were conducted in a Thermal cycler programmed
for an initial 2 min. denaturation at 94°C followed by 32 cycles of denaturation (1 min. at
94°C), annealing (1 min. at 55°C), and extension (1 min. at 72°C). A final extension of 10
min. at 72°C followed the 32 cycles. Amplification products were analyzed by electrophoresis
on agarose gel (1.5%) in 0.5X TBE (Tris-Borate-EDTA) for 1 h and 20 min. at 70 volts.
Products were stained in ethidium bromide and visualized under ultraviolet lamp.
Isolates and DNA sequences used for taxon-specific primer design
Isolates belonging to 36 species included in 9 genera of wood decay basidiomycetes
were used to develop taxon-specific primers. Isolates belonged to Armillaria, Ganoderma,
Hericium, Inonotus, Laetiporus, Omphalotus, Phellinus, Pleurotus, and Stereum. The
identification of fungi was performed on the basis of the macroscopic and microscopic
features of their fruiting bodies, and pure cultures were obtained from the context of
basidiocarps. In addition to the isolates, all the sequences published on National Center for
Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Genbank and referring to each taxon of interest were also
used for taxon-specific primer design. The number of isolates for each species and the
closely related species used as outgroups are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Number of isolates for each species and corresponding outgroup taxa used
for taxon-specific primer design
98
Design of taxon-specific primers
The 25S region of the nuclear Large subunit RNA (nLSU) was selected for the purpose of
designing generic-specific primers, and species-specific primers for Phellinus gilvus. Speciesspecific primers were developed for Inonotus andersonii and I. dryadeus both on 25 S and
ITS. Few hyphaes from aerial mycelium were collected by pipette tips from three day-old
pure cultures grown on Malt Extract Agar (MEA; 20 g agar, 20 g glucose, 20 g malt extract,
2 g peptone, 1 l deionized water), and placed into 100µl of sterile water in Eppendorf tubes.
The tubes were freezed on dry ice and then thawed quickly by placing them at 75°C in a dry
heat block. After thawing, the tubes were vortexed for 1 min. and spinned in a micro
centrifuge at top speed for 5 sec. Cycles of freezing and thawing were repeated for three
times. The tubes were then placed in a 75°C dry heat block for 15 min., and finally spinned
for 5 min. at maximum speed. Direct PCR was performed on the hyphal suspension without
any dilutions. Fungal DNA was also extracted from the entire culture using CTAB and phenol/
chloroform protocol, as described by Gardes and Bruns (1993). A 1:1000 dilution of extracted
DNA in PCR water was used for amplifications. The 25S region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA
was amplified using the universal primers CTB6 (5-GCATATCAATAAGCGGAGG-3) and TW13
(5-GGTCCGTGTTTCAAGACG-3).
PCR-amplified products were electrophoresed on a 1.5% agarose gel as described above.
Amplicons were sequenced using an ABI 3100 (Applied Biosystems, California) automatic
sequencer. Sequences assembly and manual refinement of alignments were carried out using
the Sequencer 4.1 program. The sequences from each taxon were aligned with sequences of
closely related groups (outgroups) in order to ensure the specificity for the target organism.
A highly conserved sequence in the 25S DNAwas used to design a forward (5→3) primer,
that we named 25S-F. Taxon-specific primers were designed as reverse (3→5). The same
approach was used to design species-specific primers for Phellinus and Inonotus. The
amplification of ITS was performed using the primer combination ITS-1F and ITS-4. The PCR
conditions were as described above, except for the annealing temperature of the reaction
that was lowered to 53°C. The ITS3 primer (5-GCATCGATGAAGAACGCAGC-3) was selected
as forward primer. Primer design was performed with PRIMER 3 software in order to maximize
its efficiency.
Taxon-specific primer testing
The specificity of primer pairs was tested on DNA extracted from pure fungal cultures.
Primers were finally tested on fungal DNA extracted from 60 wood samples (1x1x2 mm) of
Quercus agrifolia and Q. kellogii colonized by known wood decay agents. Fungal DNA was
extracted directly from wood as described above. PCR conditions were separately optimized
for each primer combination. Amplified DNA was visualized and its size determined by standard
DNA electrophoresis on agarose gel. In order to confirm the specificity of the primers a
subsample of 25% of PCR products were also sequenced. The ABI 3100 genetic analyzer
was used for an accurate fragment size analysis to verify the specificity (GeneScan technique)
of primers (not shown).
Results
The DNA extraction using the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini KitTM allowed the amplification of
putative fungal DNA from all samples included in the experiment. The ITS amplified region of
unknown fungi resulted in PCR products of various length (from 750 bp to 800 bp,
approximately) (Fig.1). The CTAB phenol/chloroform extraction generated good amplifications
from pure cultures.
Fig. 1 ITS amplification of fungal DNA extracted from 10 wood samples.
ITS was amplified with the primer combination ITS 4-ITS 1F
99
Sequence alignment showed a region in common for all taxa within the 25S. Such DNA
region is about 30 bp long, and its location within the nLSU is shown in Fig 2.
Fig 2 The black box indicates the region (about 30 bp long) in common for all taxa within the Ctb6-Tw13
region of the nLSU. This 30 nucleotide (nt) sequence was used to design the the 25S-F primer
The 25S-F primer is 18 nt long. The sizes of taxon specific amplicons generated through
PCR are listed in Table 2.
Table 2 Length of the amplicons (base pairs) originated through PCR in the nLSU and ITS
All taxon specific primers designed on nLSU allowed selective amplification of pure cultures
with no cross-reactivity with other taxa (Fig. 3)
Fig 3. Amplification product obtained with the taxon-specif primers 25S-F
and Phellinus gilvus reverse: lanes 1 to 14
Species-specific primers designed in the ITS region showed cross-reactivity with other
species while tested on pure cultures (Fig. 4). This was particularly true for Inonotus
andersonii and I. dryadeus with Ganoderma, Stereum, and several Phellinus species.
100
Fig 4 Amplification product obtained with the specific primer set ITS 3 (forward) and Inonotus dryadeus
reverse on pure cultures of different species. The bands show unspecific amplification. I. dryadeus
reverse primers cross-reacted with: Ganoderma (lane 1), Stereum (lane 2) and several Phellinus species
(lanes 3 to 5). Lane 6 shows the amplification of Inonotus dryadeus DNA
While tested on the 60 wood block samples, taxon specific primers allowed the detection
of 47 fungi. Taxon specific primers allowed the amplification of expected fungal taxa in the
77% of cases (Table 3). In 5 samples (8%), expected fungi were not detected with taxon
specific primers. In 9 wood samples (15%), more taxa than the only one species expected
were detected. Phellinus was the most frequently observed genera.
Table 3. Extract from observed versus expected taxa in primer testing on 60 wood samples
The basidiomycetes considered in this study are responsible for most of tree failures
reported in the temperate areas of the world. Although some of the above listed genera
include more than one species, the biology of congeneric species is quite similar, and differences
are often in host specificity.
The QIAamp DNA Stool Mini KitTM is a method that simplifies isolation of DNA from stool
with a fast spin-column procedure, no phenol and chloroform are required. This procedure
allows for the amplification both from Quercus and from Pinus. These two hosts are known
to be reach in polysaccharides, proteins and phenols, inhibitors of the PCR reaction (Khanuja
et al.1999). Furthermore field samples may often contain contaminants, or compounds causing
DNA degradation. The kit offers a fast and easy purification of the total DNA recovered from
field samples, even from recalcitrant wood.
Specific reverse primers for genera and for species were successfully developed in the
25S region of the ribosomal DNA for Armillaria, Ganoderma, Hericium, Laetiporus, Omphalotus,
101
Pleurotus, Stereum, Phellius gilvus, Inonotus andersonii, Inonotus dryadeus. Use of nuclear
ribosomal regions is recommended as they are present in many copies within the genome,
and allow for detection of a minute amounts of the target DNA. This is a region that is
frequently conserved within genera and variable between genera. Species specific primers
designed in the ITS showed cross-reactivity while used on pure cultures and did not work
when tested on wood samples. The ITS generally shows an high level of both interspecific
and intraspecific polymorphism (Wagner and Fischer, 2002), and it does not appear suitable
the goals of this research. The results reported here indicate that it is possible to identify
the pathogens directly from wood without the step of culturing the fungus. Fruiting bodies
of the fungus can provide material for its identification; however they are very ephemeral
and do not necessarily occur at the first stage of the wood colonization. Other molecular
techniques for the detection of targeted organisms, as RFLP, need longer procedure, restriction
profiles are often difficult to read and they do not allow for a secure identifications (Fischer,
1996; Jasalavich et al., 2000). We developed a rapid, reliable and sensitive method to
detect specific fungi in the wood. One of the main advantages of this approach is that the
diagnostic approach can be highly specific, meaning that it can be designed to target all
known organisms deemed responsible for important decay effects on trees of relevance to
the urban landscape and to ornamental arboriculture.
Although at present the identification of fungi with the technique described in this paper
still requires 2 days, the optimization of reactions with multiplex PCR approaches will allow
faster detections, providing a reliable tool for routine inspections of suspected trees.
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Wagner T, Fischer M. 2002. Proceedings towards a natural classification of the worldwide taxa
Phellinus s.l. and Inonotus s.l., and phylogenetic relationships of allied genera. Mycologia 94, 9981016.
Wessolly L., 1995. The practitioners method of diagnosis. Stadt und Gruen 8, 570-573.
102
THE HISTORIC CYPRESSES OF BOLGHERI: RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF A
HERITAGE OF EUROPE
R. Danti1, P. Raddi1, A. Panconesi1, R. Serra2, M. Tognotti2
CNR, Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante, Area della Ricerca, Sesto Fiorentino - Italy
Provincial Administration of Livorno - Italy
1
2
The symbolic role of cypress at Bolgheri and in Tuscany
The five kilometre Viale di Bolgheri runs across the coastal plain straight from the SS1
Aurelia, which it crosses at the village of San Guido, and leads up to the ancient village
situated on the lower slopes of the hills overlooking the sea (Fig. 1). The two straight rows
of cypresses of the Viale form a harmonious composition and an architectural planting which
forms a vista with tree-like wings set, as it were, between two
stages: the hillside village of Bolgheri and the land stretching
towards the sea. The avenue is set in an area where the beauty
of the surrounding countryside has remained largely unspoilt by
indiscriminate urban and tourist development and where agricultural
management enhances it further (Bezzini 1990). The cypresslined road rises from the plain forming a spectacular, stately
geometric line intersecting the flat land and the undulating hills.
Visitors travelling along it are struck by the perspective before
them and by the charming, enchanting atmosphere (Fig. 2). The
poems that Carducci wrote about his childhood haunts in the
Maremma, including the famous Davanti San Guido dedicated to
this very cypress avenue, have helped to create the myth and
fame that still surrounds Bolgheri and its Viale today.
Overall, the Viale forms a landscape design which, placed
harmoniously in the hilly countryside of Bolgheri, has acquired
considerable cultural and environmental value. The Ministerial Order
Fig. 1 Panoramic view of of 21 August 1995 declared the Viale di Bolgheri to be part of the
the village of Bolgheri and artistic and cultural heritage and, as such, subject to protection
the Viale which runs across
as provided for by Law nr. 1089 concerning the architectural heritage.
the coastal plain straight
The Viale represents one of the best known and, probably, the
most famous examples of the symbolic, expressive role of cypress in Tuscany. In this region,
cypress is no longer bound to the role of a funerary plant that was always ascribed to this
tree in popular tradition, and instead takes on an auspicious, positive function. The cypress
thus appears to be an intrinsic element of the Tuscan landscape, the result of a such a
sensitive mixture of respect for the environment and the work and traditions of man as to be
regarded as a quintessential symbol of the cultural identity of Tuscany. At Bolgheri the
ornamental, cultural and historical value linked to this plant blend to create one of the most
typical and charming effects.
The common cypress (Cupressus
sempervirens L.), that grows wild in Asia Minor
and in the Eastern Mediterranean (Gellini and
Grossoni, 1979), was brought to Italy by the
Etruscans and the Romans, the latter using it
mainly as a ornamental tree, for plantings around
villas, monuments and sacred places. During
the Renaissance the cypress enjoyed a revival
in Tuscany when it began to be used once
more to decorate the homes of the aristocracy,
but also on account of its valuable timber and
for use in agricultural work, so that over time it
Fig. 2 - A perspective view of the Viale
became a plant associated with rural life and
labour. Planted singly or in small stands, near
villas, churches, inns or crossroads, the cypress was used as a landmark by wayfarers and
its timber was used to make shutters and frames, doors and furniture (Giannelli 2002). The
outlines of this conifer are such a well-known sight today throughout Tuscany, from coastal
areas to inland hillsides, that it is an essential, familiar element of a landscape that has now
become famous all over the world.
103
The difficulty in the control of cypress canker disease
Since ancient times, the common cypress has been considered a healthy, strong and
disease resistant tree. Since the 1950s, however, it has been facing a serious health
problem: the Seiridium cardinale canker (Panconesi and Raddi, 1991). The gradual deterioration
of an extremely important landscape and forest feature prompted
investigation of a range of direct and indirect methods to control
the spread of the disease and put a stop to this deplorable stream
of losses (Fig. 3).
So far the instruments that have proved most effective in
controlling the disease have been sanitation (in terms of elimination
of infected trees or portions of trees), to protect affected stands
and ornamental plantations (Parrini 2003; Panconesi and Danti, 2003),
chemical prevention in the nursery (Panconesi and Parrini, 1979)
and genetic improvement of cypress as a deterrent for the spread
of the canker and to restore affected formations (Raddi and
Panconesi, 1998). The relevant Regional, Provincial and Local Councils
have always been sensitive to the problem and have supported
projects for the control of the disease. At EU level as well the
cypress problem has been given attention since the seventies through
the financing of four international research programmes that have Fig. 3 A cypress of the
attacked
led to important results of practical value, such as the selection of Vialebyseverely
S. cardinale
a set of canker resistant cypress clones.
Today, however, 50 years on from its first recording, as a result of the endemic nature
assumed by the disease and the impossibility of dealing with the entire region in a brief
space of time, S. cardinale canker continues to severely affect cypress, to the extent that,
according to recent surveys, areas where the total of infected plants is nearly 50% are still
common. Because of the symbolic value of this tree in Tuscany and central Italy, cypresses
damaged by canker give tourists the impression that the area is carelessness and neglected.
The Protocol of Agreement for the conservation and restoration of
theViale di Bolgheri
The first serious symptoms of bark canker in the trees in the Viale occurred between the
1960s and 1970s, when bark canker reached epidemic level in many areas of Tuscany
(Parrini, 1991). The planting of the trees in rows and mild, damp climatic conditions typical
of the coastal area encouraged the development and reproduction of S. cardinale, favouring
its spread throughout plantations. Consequently the Bolgheri cypresses have repeatedly
suffered from various outbreaks of the disease, with severe damage and many losses being
recorded over the years. For years they have been the subject of attention by the Regional
Council, the Livorno Council, the Forestry Commission of and scientific institutions, alerted
by the continual, inexorable, rapid deterioration affecting this monument.
Interventions to protect the Bolgheri cypresses, started in 1979 and repeated during the
1980s and 1990s, have unfortunately been isolated and sporadic and, for this reason, have
not controlled the disease effectively. Plant health surveys carried out in 1995 and 1999
continued to highlight the recurrence of serious attacks, both on trees that had previously
been cured and on trees that had previously been free from the disease. While in 1995
surveys showed the need to fell 42 cypresses and to sanitise 400, in 1999, four years after
the performed sanitation, it was once again necessary to fell 94 plants and treat 421.
Towards the end of 1999 the continuous, unstoppable occurrence of damage and losses
of the Bolgheri cypresses united governments and authorities responsible for the protection
of the Viale in the need to carry out an urgent, organic, synergic programme of work to save
the monument from deterioration and to go ahead with its improvement. Therefore the
Provincial Council of Livorno, the Regional Council of Tuscany, the Local Council of Castagneto
Carducci, the Superintendency of the Historical, Artistic, Architectural and Environmental
Heritage of Pisa, ARSIA1, ARPAT2, ISZA3, the private owners of the historic cypresses and
the CNR IPAF4 signed an agreement in December 99 for the creation of a 10-year project
for the restoration and enhancement of the historic avenue.
The ten-year programme was co-ordinated by the Provincial Council in a series of important,
inter-related activities. Investigations based on tree health status and topographical surveys
were followed by work aimed at treatment, restoration and maintenance, together with
research work for the selection of canker resistant genotypes among the trees in the
historic avenue.
104
Major programme operations and current status of the activities
Planning and Intervention
Two sanitation programmes, drawn up by the Provincial Administration and by the CNR,
approved by the Superintendency, were completed in 2000 and 2002 respectively, with the
aim of gradually reducing the incidence of cypress canker disease in the two rows along the
Viale and in immediately surrounding areas. The drafting of the projects required the
implementation of health surveys reporting on fungal and insect attacks, the recording of
data in a specially created database, the preparation of descriptive printout and photographic
testimony. Landscape experts were entrusted with a design study aimed at controlling and
enhancing the presence of the undergrowth located intermittently along the two rows of
the avenue, mainly consisting of shrubs typical of the Mediterranean area. Special attention
was paid to Cercis siliquastrum, which is a spring flowering species that creates a wonderful
colour contrast against the dark green of the cypresses.
Training
Before sanitation works started, theoretical and practical courses were organised to
train the workforce, aimed at increasing knowledge of the most important cypress diseases
and their respective methods of control. Special attention was given to symptomatology,
identification and spread of S. cardinale canker as well as methods of control the disease on
infected plants, illustrating the basic criteria for correct implementation cuttings. Technicians
from the Livorno Provincial Council, ARPAT and the Comunità Montane took part, together
with operators from firms specialised in urban landscaping.
Restoration
In the spring of 2002, 102 7-9 metre tall specimens of C.
sempervirens var. pyramidalis were planted to replace previously
felled trees. The planted trees, divided into 60 different canker
resistant genotypes, were taken directly from CNR research fields
(Fig. 4).
Fig. 4 - Specimens of cypress
clones selected for resistance
to S. cardinale infections,
which were planted along the
Viale to replace previously
felled trees
Maintenance
Tests were carried out periodically throughout the year by
the IPP-CNR and ISZA to assess the presence of problems due
to fungal and insect attacks. In addition to S. cardinale infections,
populations of Cinara cupressi aphids and Scolytids of the genus
Phloeosinus require constant monitoring (Panconesi et al., 2003).
In favourable years the former can cause extensive desiccation
of the cypress crowns. Prompt treatments were carried out on
some stretches of the avenue planting to prevent serious aphid
infestations. The latter, by feeding on the shoots, may transmit
infections of S. cardinale from diseased trees to healthy ones.
Research (genetic improvement)
Work aimed at selecting resistant genotypes of the cypresses in the historic avenue took
place in stages. To date, 250 particularly vigorous and aesthetically valuable subjects have
been propagated by grafting. The young saplings obtained from subjects propagated in 2000
and 2001 have already been planted in research fields where their ability to resist S. cardinale
will be tested, and in a conservation field near the Viale. The plot of land for conservation is
near San Guido and has been granted to the Provincial Council of Livorno under a free
contract for twenty years by the owner, Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta. The land
has been suitably fenced off; planting, cultivation of the soil, weed-control and regular
maintenance work are carried out by Livorno Provincial Council employees.
Computerization
Zerobyte Sistemi is a firm in Florence which, under contract to, and in collaboration with
the Local Council, IPP-CNR and ISZA, have set up a specially designed computer system to
create a historical archive and to plan the work on the trees in the avenue. The system is
based on the use of transponders (microchips) that issue a signal in code form so that once
the sensor is inserted in the trees, it allows them to be immediately identified. Using specially
designed software, it is possible to view and update reports and therefore organise a
105
database where the history of each tree is registered. The software has also been designed
to assist the planning of work performed on the plants and to manage the accountancy
aspects.
The European importance of the Bolgheri Avenue: the Interreg III B Medocc
Cypmed project
The Cypmed5 project, officially approved by Feder and by the Ministry for Transport and
Infrastructures on 1.1.2002, aims to demonstrate the utility of the cypress as a multipurpose plant for the improvement of the environment and the Mediterranean landscape, in
the light of results obtained with genetic improvement during previous Community research
programmes on cypress (Agrimed 1, Agrimed 2, Camar, Air). Thirteen Italian, French,
Portuguese and Greek operative units are taking part in the project, which is headed by IPP
CNR. They are deeply involved in the ecological, economic and decorative-historical role of
the cypress.
As a result of a shrewd conservation policy put into operation by the Livorno District
Council for the Viale di Bolgheri cypresses, an inter-disciplinary work group has been formed
and asked to take part in the Cypmed project as a unique example of cooperation between
public authorities and research institutions in a ten-year work project.
The combined efforts of the CypMed members ensure both a range of urgent, correct
interventions and European-level visibility of the problem Ornamental Cypress canker
caused by Seiridium cardinale. In addition, it promotes training of technical staff and the
wide-scale dissemination of methods used for sanitation and recovery of cypress trees. The
results obtained on the sanitation, replanting and management of the Bolgheri Avenue
cypresses may be of great interest for the restoration of historical cypress plantations in
Italy and in other Medocc (Western Mediterranean) countries. The inclusion of the Bolgheri
Cypresses in the Cypmed project is recognition of an operation in which scientific progress is
highlighted, confirming the international fame of the avenue that is visited every year by
hundreds of foreign visitors who are captivated by such a wealth of natural beauty.
Bibliography
Bezzini L., 1990 - Bolgheri. Bandecchi e Vivaldi Ed., Pontedera.
Gellini R., Grossoni P., 1979 - Aspetti botanici del genere Cupressus. In Il Cipresso: malattie e
difesa. V. Grasso, P. Raddi Ed.,Comunità Economica Europea, 27-43.
Giannelli L., 2002 - Il cipresso. Storie e miti di terre toscane. Scramasax, Rep. San Marino, 151 pp.
Panconesi A., Parrini C., 1979 - Nuove esperienze di lotta chimica contro il Seiridium (Coryneum)
cardinale. Inf.tore Fitopatol., 29 (5), 13-17.
Panconesi A., Raddi P., 1991 - Cancro del cipresso. Aspetti biologici ed epidemiologici. In Il
cipresso, CNR, Regione Toscana, 49-60.
Panconesi A., Danti R., 2003 - Quando risanare, quando abbattere. In La bonifica fitosanitaria
a tutela del cipresso. ARSIA, Regione Toscana, 67-78.
Panconesi A., Danti R., Binazzi A., Roversi P.F., Pennacchio F., 2003 - Le avversità più ricorrenti del
cipresso. In La bonifica fitosanitaria a tutela del cipresso. ARSIA, Regione Toscana, 15-35.
Parrini C., 2003 - Presupposti teorici e risultati attesi dalla bonifica. In La bonifica fitosanitaria a
tutela del cipresso. ARSIA, Regione Toscana, 59-66.
Parrini C., Panconesi A., 1991 - I metodi di lotta contro il cancro corticale del cipresso. In Il
cipresso. CNR, Regione Toscana, 94-109.
Raddi P., Panconesi A., 1998 - Valorizzazione del patrimonio genetico per la resistenza al cancro
del cipresso. Ann. Acc. It. Sci. For., XLVII: 45-53.
1
2
3
4
5
Agenzia Regionale per lo Sviluppo e linnovazione in Agricoltura
Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale della Toscana
Istituto Sperimentale per la Zoologia Agraria
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Patologia degli Alberi Forestali (now IPP
Istituto per la protezione delle Piante)
www.cypmed.cupressus.org
106
MONUMENTAL TREES INVENTORY OF THE PROVINCE PISTOIA, ITALY
R. Ferretti*, M. Giachini, D. Giorgi**, M, Vannuccini ***
* Executive of Territorial Resources Planning Service, Pistoia Province
** Independent professional
*** Independent professional, Studio Tecnico Eureco
1. Introduction
Monumental trees are a multifunctional resource, due to their naturalistic and historical
relevance and to the important impact on landscape. In Tuscany, the value of monumental
trees heritage has been recognized by the local law L.R. 60/1998. This law identifies the
status of monumental tree, defines the rules for trees protection and valorisation and
establishes a regional catalogue of monumental trees.
The Territorial Resources Planning Service of the Province Pistoia, back in 1989, set up
an inventory by which forty-one trees were identified, that according to their extraordinary
age or size could be considered as monumental. Most of them are located in the mountain
area of the province. The inventory was although not exhaustive, since it only took into
account a part of the provincial territory: the lack of data and information about the wide
district of municipalities of Pistoia, Montale, Pescia, Montecatini etc., leads to think that a
consistent monumental trees heritage is still to be identified, also by taking in consideration
the local dense historical villas system. In accordance with law 60/98 the opportunity to
program protection and valorisation measurers is also given. These measures can although
be only implemented on the basis of updated and consistent information on quantitative
(morphometrical and dendrological data) and qualitative (physiological and sanitary conditions)
characteristics of the trees and also about the changes of the area in which trees are
located (SHIGO, 1993). In the frame of the new Co-ordinate Territorial Plan (P.T.C.), which
considers monumental trees within the list of environmental resources of the provinces
territory, a new initiative was taken in order to extend the inventory on the whole province
and herewith establishes an exhaustive data base in relation to the trees consistency and
health conditions, which will be integrated in provincial administrations Geographical Information
System. Particular attention will be given to geo-referencing trees locations, as a necessary
premise to their correct identification on site.
2. Available information
The available knowledge on the amount and conditions of monumental trees of the
province Pistoia arise from four different sources which, at different times and with different
criteria, attempted to assess the situation of the provinces green patriarchs.
The first inventory, promoted by the National Forest Service (C.F.S.) in 1982, concerned
the whole national territory. As far as the province Pistoia is concerned, thirteen monumental
trees were singled out. Out of the twenty-two municipalities of the province Pistoia, only
eight were represented, within the inventory, by at least one tree of extraordinary historical
or monumental value. Municipalities such as Pistoia, Pescia and Quarrata, which represent a
remarkable portion of provincial territory, contributed with no tree, whereas six monumental
trees were identified in the territory of San Marcello Pistoiese. In 1989 the Provincial
Administration of Pistoia performed an inventory by which forty-one monumental trees were
identified, mainly located in the mountain area of the province and, in specific, in the
territories of San Marcello Pistoiese, Sambuca Pistoiese and Abetone.
In spite of the knowledge that was acquired through these census initiatives, only one
tree of the province Pistoia (located in the municipality Lamporecchio), is actually inscribed
in the Monumental Trees Regional List ex L.R. 60/98, out of a total of forty-nine trees
setting up the list itself. In order to update and enrich the Regional List, the Regional
Administration of Tuscany, in co-operation with the W.W.F., promoted the Monumental
trees in Tuscany school contest in the school-year 2002-2003, addressed to the students
of Tuscanys schools. Thanks to this initiative, one-hundred and twenty-five trees were
identified, eleven of which in the province Pistoia.These inventories, for several reasons,
failed to give a global and exhaustive picture of the real situation of the monumental trees
heritage on the wide territory of province Pistoia. If a comparative evaluation of all actions
undertaken till now is performed, a basic incommunicability between different lists comes up.
In other words, the regional list seems not to completely take into account the results of
previous inventories. As a consequence, the Provincial Administration of Pistoia called out
for an overall inventory which foresees the detailed analysis of the provincial territory, while
updating and harmonising the information from previous initiatives. In particular, the lack of
107
knowledge about municipalities as Pistoia, Montecatini, Pescia and Quarrata, having a high
incidence of remarkable villas and historical gardens, leads to think that a substantial
monumental trees heritage is still to be identified.
3. Monumental tree inventory
With reference to intervention measures foreseen by the regional regulations, which are
put into effect by a specific action in the regional Rural Development Plan (P.S.R., Reg.
2057/99 EU), the present research and inventory initiative was set up according to some
fundamental requirements:
- Accurate trees geo-referencing, in order to obtain a certain tree identification on site,
both for management and for eco-tourism activities.
- Exhaustive description of sanitary and physiologic tree conditions, necessary to plan care
and management measures.
- Collecting exhaustive information about naturalistic, historical, traditional and landscape
aspects related to each tree, in order to give to the regional Scientific Commission ex
L.R.49/1995 (competent for evaluation of proposals for the admission to the regional list)
as much information as possible, supporting the tree-candidates that will arise through the
inventory.
- Create an integrated management tool in accordance with the provincial Geographical
Information System.
The complete information collected throughout the inventory will be filed into a dedicated
data base, developed in a Ms Access environment, linked to a point theme in shape format
which stores spatial information (i.e. geographic location of each tree).
4. Research and documentation
A preliminary documentation and research phase is essential for singling out monumental
trees. Analysis of individual mentions, archive research, etc, will be collected and evaluated
with the aim to obtain a wide range of preliminary knowledge.
The primary information source is of course the provincial inventory of 1989, which will
be eventually integrated with the results of the C.F.S. national inventory, and furthermore
updated by recent acquisitions from the school contest organised by the regional administration
and the W.W.F. Taking into account that a large portion of the provinces territory was not
involved in the mentioned initiatives, it is of utmost importance to investigate documentary
sources, which may lead to obtain remarkable information on monumental trees. For instance,
the wide bibliography on historical villas and gardens is supposed to give suitable information,
while also performing an analysis on local places names: quite often these names are
originated by trees that were considered remarkable under a certain point of view.
In order to collect direct mentions, a dedicated form was prepared, through which
anyone can bring remarkable trees to notice. The form, which is accompanied by a short
guide containing the requirements to which a monumental tree must be conforming, foresees
that the user reports useful information for localisation of the tree and for a first screening
of the received forms. The call for mentions will follow both institutional channels (municipalities,
mountain communities, C.F.S. stations, etc.) and preferential channels in co-operation with
environmental or cultural associations or any other institution having a direct interest on the
territory. The inventory will also be promoted on Internet, by means of a web page linked to
the web sites of the province, municipalities, and any involved association.
5. Monumental tree database
In order to collect and file both field information and geographic data, a dedicated
Geographical Information System was set up. Alphanumeric information, which means all
quantitative and qualitative information, is managed by a data base developed in Access
environment; spatial data (which means a point vector theme in shape format) is linked to
the database via Windows ODBC protocol, and therefore the information can be managed
directly in a GIS environment.
The database is provided of proper forms for data input and visualisation, which allows a
prompt data recall and change by the user. Data is recalled through several pages of
access, each containing following information:
- Tree identification, containing dendrological data and all useful information for the tree
characterisation and localisation;
- Tree conditions, containing morphometric data and a general description of physiological
and biomechanical aspects;
108
- Sanitary conditions: the form contains specific information about a possible stress situation
caused by biotic and/or non biotic factors and about identified pathologies, where applicable;
- Management: the form contains a short report that summarises threats against the trees
conservation, and technical and operative notes, in order to achieve a correct tree
management and protection;
- Monumental value: the form collects all available information about the historical, naturalistic,
cultural and landscape values of the tree.
Available data concerning the trees overall conditions (health and physiological status,
biomechanical information) are also summarised on an analytical form, containing standard
information, which is used both to obtain descriptive statistics about tree populations and
also as a summary report that allows the field technician to keep the information during any
future periodic inventory up to date.
6. Database contents
In order to obtain information in the most standardised way as possible, a proper inventory
form was prepared for field data collection, in which actual tree conditions are recorded.
The inventory form is made up of keys recalling the tree characterisation and check, as well
as indicators concerning tree location, structure, morphology and sanitary conditions.
Tree identification
The form concerning the tree identification (Figure 1) reports some general information
(identification code, species, date of first inventory) and the related photographic
documentation. Furthermore, particular care is given to the tree localisation; as a matter of
fact, geo-referencing the tree is of utmost importance in regards to the objectives of this
work; therefore, an instrument assuring a high precision level in determining point location
was chosen.
The geographic location of each tree is therefore acquired by a Global Positioning System,
transferred to a GIS software and finally reported in the regional technical cartography
(CTR).
The form contains:
- Municipality, locality and eventually (for trees located in a garden or near a house) the
street and the number of the house;
- Gauss Boaga coordinates of the tree location;
- Section of the regional technical map (CTR 1:10.000);
- Land-registry references (sheet and parcel number): these references are requested
within the authorisation procedures for different kinds of human activities, having an impact
on the territory; therefore they represent an important control tool to check for possible
modifications of the site.
Finally, the property is identified (public or private) and references on the owner or the
manager are recorded.
Figure 1. Tree identification form
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Tree conditions
The tree conditions form (Figure 2) reports, first of all, dendrological and dendrometrical
main parameters, as circumference, diameter at breast height (this is actually a redundant
data, but on the other hand the diameter allows to better assess the trunk size), height,
height at which the green crown base starts (i.e. height of first living branch) and crown
width (this is defined by the radius in the four directions, perpendicular one to each other).
Some general information concerning the specimen to be preserved is also recorded: this
can be an individual tree or a bio-group, which intended as a group of individuals originated
by a single mother-plant and which cannot be classified as a single tree. The trees overall
conditions are assessed through short descriptive reports concerning the location in which
the tree lives (planting site), each of the trees main apparatuses (root system and collar,
trunk, crown) and eventually recent management interventions.
The soil and planting site aspects are of utmost importance for the evaluation of the
roots water supply and the possibility to exchange gases. Therefore, some related aspects
are put into evidence, as the kind of ground coverage, the soil compactness, eventual
limitations to the root systems development, morphological root anomalies, root decay
symptoms, damaged roots, basal cavities etc. In reference to the trunk, some information
about the morphology is registered and, eventually, damages and structural anomalies. In
regards to the morphological aspects, the trunk inclination from the vertical axis is taken
into account, as also any peculiar aspect such as V-shaped crotches, crooks, etc. Damages
and anomalies due to factors having either a biotic and/or a non biotic origin are recorded,
as indicators of pathologies or symptoms of reduced vigour or loss of mechanical wood
stability.
For instance, the following data is recorded:
- Wounds on both bark or wood;
- Emergence holes made by bark and wood miners;
- loose bark or bark necrosis;
- Cavities, of different depths and healing stadiums, due to pruning, wounds, wood decay
and mechanical damages;
- Wood decay fungi fruiting bodies, as symptoms of decaying wood, or visible wood decay;
- Foreign body inclusions.
Figure 2. Tree condition form
In regards to the crown, all remarkable aspects are recorded, in order to describe trees
physiological conditions and to make a precocious diagnosis of suffering conditions:
- Presence of cavities, decaying wood and fungi fruiting bodies on branches;
- Presence of dead or compromised branches;
- Presence of pruning scars and wounds on main branches;
- Presence of epicormic branches;
- Stress symptoms due to pathologies of biotic or non-biotic origin, as leaves chlorosis and
colour loss, leaves necrosis, cancers, microphyllia, crown dieback etc.
Finally, some conclusive consideration on physiological and sanitary conditions are reported
(in the section vegetative state) as a synthetic description of actual tree state.
110
All collected information by means of descriptive reports, can be viewed in a synthetic
way through the analytical form (Figure 3), which allows to export data in an Excel file for
statistical analysis or in order to produce final reports about the whole tree population. The
analytical form consists of standard voices which allow to define the trees overall conditions.
Figure 3 Analytical form
Health condition
This section contains a report about trees sanitary conditions, with a particular look at
pathogens. The form contains photographic documentation related to present pathogens
(insects, fungi, bacteria, etc.) and also any possible non biotic damage. The contents of
this section can be viewed in the analytical form, too.
Management
The section related to tree management contains the guidelines about the proposed
future tree management interventions, while also putting in evidence any need to go into
further depth on specific aspects. The reported interventions can be determined either by
an immediate need for safety assurance or by a long-term planning, which, for instance,
might be a site environmental improvement. Here below the possible intervention measures
are reported:
- Hazard tree assessment, which may be applicable for all trees located in areas with a high
frequency of visitors and whenever symptoms of reduced carrying capacity are present
(MATHENY & CLARK, 1994). The mentioned assessment is therefore strictly restricted to risk
situations which require extraordinary management measures (BRELOER & MATTHECK, 1998);
- Pruning is foreseen either as an extraordinary measure where a risk condition is given, or in
case a clear negligence on planned intervention measures is assessed. Pruning prescriptions
go always together with detailed operative technical notes and also specific photographic
documentation;
- Consolidations: these arboricultural tools are intended to prevent branch collapse through
the use of moorings and supports, while also preventing from branch injuries occurring
during branch fall, which is obtained by establishing predetermined falling directions;
- Site improvement management measures; for instance, waterproof paving removal, soil
improvement through agronomic interventions, etc.
- Preventive or corrective sanitary treatments.
This section also reports the main biomechanical parameters taken into account by the
S.I.A. (Static Integrated Assessment) method. S.I.A. allows the assessment of some tree
static characteristics by simply surveying dendrometrical parameters, as, for instance, tree
height, dbh and crown shape. Once this data is assessed, through statistical models which
were identified for each tree species, the base carrying capacity can be determined (a
parameter that concerns the tree structural dimensioning), as well as residual wall thickness
which is required in order to have a trunk with a 100% base carrying capacity (below this
value the tree is under-dimensioned towards the crown loading).
S.I.A. parameters were addressed within this work in order to obtain a first evaluation
about the tree static characteristics and also to have a base reference for any future
deepening needs on the hazard tree assessment. Up to present, S.I.A. models are available
only for certain tree species, while static-morphologic mathematical relationships for many
Mediterranean species (helm, cypress, etc.) are still to be investigated.
111
Figure 4. Management guidelines form
Monumental value
In the last section all information related to naturalistic, historical, architectonic and
landscape aspects or reference to local use and traditions linked to the trees is collected.
According to Regional Law 60/98 a monumental tree is not only a tree of extraordinary size
or age, but also a tree having a precisely defined reference to historical events or to local
traditions. The documentation related to these specific aspects is therefore necessary to
sustain trees candidates for the insertion in the regional list. This is moreover useful information
for the tree valorisation (by means of informative activities) and for promoting the provinces
natural heritage in the frame of environmental tourism.
7. Conclusions
The described research and inventory programme on monumental trees in the province
Pistoia is, at present, the most complete and exhaustive experience in the Tuscany region.
This inventory, which is based on a solid arboricoltural basis, does not only allow to
identify and register monumental trees, but it permits also to obtain a wide knowledge base,
which is a useful tool for any management, protection and valorisation activity.
Under a technical point of view, the collected information will provide a useful basis to
develop a management disciplinary tailored on each tree, which can then be put into practice
thanks to financial measures that are foreseen by regional laws, but which are also taken
into account very seldom. Taking into consideration that monumental trees can be considered
as a rural landscape promoting tool, the set of information that was collected can be used
to promote environmental tourism and educational initiatives. The available digital archive,
would in any case find in the web its natural divulgation mean.
References
WESSOLLY L., 1995. Fracture diagnosis of trees. Part:2 Static Integrated Methods Statically
Integrated Assessment (SIA). The practitioners method of diagnosis. Stadt und Grun, 8: 570573.
AA.VV., 1989. Censimento delle piante monumentali (L.R. 82/82). Provincia di Pistoia, 92 pp.
BRELOER H., MATTHECK C., 1998. La stabilità degli alberi. Fenomeni meccanici e implicazioni legali dei
cedimenti degli alberi. Il verde editoriale, Milano, 281 pp.
SHIGO A.L., 1993. A new tree biology. Shigo and Trees Associates, Durham, New Hampshire.
MATHENY N.P., CLARK J.R., 1994. A photographic guide to the evaluation of hazard trees in urban
areas. Ed. International Society of Arboricolture (U.S.A), 85 pp.
112
CURES OF MONUMENTAL TREES: A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
F. Grisoni, E. Viotto, M. Palenzona
IPLA S.p.A. - Torino
Abstract
In application of a regional law (n°50, 3.04.1995), Protection and Evaluation of
Piedmontese Monumental trees with high naturalistic and historical importance, Piedmont
Region has started a series of activities: catalogue and protection of monumental trees.
Since Spring 2000 until today, IPLA, in collaboration with the Department for Evaluation
and Protection of Agroforestry Resources (Turin University) and with the Italian Forestry
Corps, has realized activities of planning, management and cures. By indications of a special
Regional Commission, each subject or group has been accurately described, according to its
morphological characteristics, and then cured. During three years of work, treatments were
applied to 39 arboreal groups mainly belonging to native species and chosen homogeneously
in the Piedmont Region. On the base of the tree health, a different kind of cure has been
selected: dry branches elimination, pruning, recovery.
Today it can be stated that the treated plants appear such vigorous as to assure a
majestic future presence. Therefore, constant monitoring and on-time-treating is of primary
importance, in case of new health problems.
Introduction
By a Regional Law (n°50, 3.04.1995), Protection and Evaluation of Piedmontese
Monumental trees with high naturalistic and historical importance, attention is addressed to
these living monuments, because their presence can contribute to improve the regional
landscape, and its environmental and cultural evaluation.
The law provides for a catalogue of the Piedmont monumental trees (single trees, groups
or monumental tree rows); their protection, by Regional financing of ordinary and extraordinary
cures; the promotion of actions to evaluate and know monumental trees and understand the
importance of their protection. Since many years, IPLA (Istituto per le Piante da Legno e
lAmbiente, Turin, Italy) has been working with the DI.VA.P.R.A. (Department for Evaluation
and Protection of Agroforestry Resources Turin University) and with the Italian Forestry
Corps, in order to apply the 50/95 Regional Law. Because of its technical practical
competences, IPLA has been involved in pilot activities of cures planning and realisation,
since the beginning of this project. The aim was to cure and recover particularly interesting
trees from the monumental point of view. Later on, IPLA was involved in the monumental
trees catalogue and in spreading this kind of activity, also because of its contacts with
many Piedmont Municipalities.
Since Spring 2000 until today, IPLA was charged by the Region with the task to carry out
an annual activity of works planning and management, realisation of cures and evaluation,
on monumental trees according to the Regional 50/95 Law. The main objective of these
activities is to provide a methodological example by treating a chosen group of trees. On the
trees marked by a special Regional Technical Commission, IPLA has supervised the provided
activities and finally produced technical and explicative cards to be spread out.
Materials and methods
The first step of the project is to choose trees to be treated. IPLA technicians, in
collaboration with the Turin University researchers, made preliminary field surveys to estimate
characteristics of each tree indicated by the regional Technical Commission.
During this first inspection, the location has been verified and a preliminary picture of the
tree has been described, including a summary of the main health problems.
Later on, the following activities have been developed on each chosen tree:
I) Primary visual inspection
An accurate description was performed, with particular attention to the phyto - sanitary
and static conditions. In details, the following aspects were analysed:
apparent energy (new foliage development, presence and diffusion of dry leaves, crown
colour);
root anchorage and potential dangerous situations depending on rooting specific sites
(asphalted or transit areas, slopes, presence of manufactures or stagnant waters, ecc.);
crown form (regular, eccentric, unbalanced);
branch ramification characteristics: protrusion from main axis, insertion angle into the
113
trunk, inner and external injures (wounds, breakages, damages from lightning, tense wood,
torsion effects, cavities, malformations, ecc);
injuries in the trunk or at the tree foot;
presence, shape and health of roots (development, emergence, phyto - sanitary conditions,
ecc.);
presence of all types of phyto pathologies, in particular of butt rot fungi.
II) Treatment programme
After a preliminary tree analysis, the plan for the main treatments has been defined. The
following kind of cures were provided:
pruning for foliage reduction and safety measures, to lower the sail effect of apex parts
(especially the lateral branches exposed to winds and far from the main axis), by lightening
malformed branches;
pruning dry branches to avoid the danger of unexpected falls;
disinfection of superficial wounds on healthy wood by cupric oxychloride solutions, in
order to improve plant reactions against wood fungi attacks and to preserve mechanical
resistance of trees;
in case of open large wounds, operations of dendro-surgery by removing decayed and
injured wood parts, to eliminate infection sources (recovery), and subsequent treatments
on wood by cupric oxychloride;
wound dressing: application of seals (usually thin lead slabs) over open-up wounds more
subject to wood decay because of rainwater infiltration;
wound dressing: application of protection nets, to preserve cavities from storage of
vegetal detritus (leaves, ecc.) and/ other materials;
rod bracing to consolidate the unbalanced ramifications by anchoring branches, with
opposite barycentre, tied each other to compensate tensions, or by anchoring the most
divaricated and dangerous branches to the trunk;
realisation of specific and special supports to fix great and too much unbalanced
branches, if rod bracing is not possible;
indication of integrated works to improve landscape and monumental values and the tree
protection (for example, pruning on contiguous trees, realisation of flower beds with
protection curb, ecc).
IPLA has consulted Turin University specialists to choose the specific cures to the most
difficult cases of stability and vegetative decay. During this phase, also site accessibility
has been studied and the most suitable tools to operate on tree crowns has been chosen.
A specific field card (fig. 1) has been utilised to describe trees and observe the main
characters (point I and II). Denomination and location of the analysed monumental tree, site
accessibility, tree description and suggested cures, final evaluation and list of photos are
reported on this card.
Figure 1. Field card
114
III) Works management
Cures have been usually performed by Airgreen of Fratelli Airaudi, Robassomero (TO),
that has realized the jobs according to indications and supervision of the IPLA technicians.
Different models of hoists have been utilised. They are suitable to catch up the higher and
majestic tree tops and can get in and work in the less accessible crown parts.
In some cases, difficult access to the site tree has imposed the use of special tools:
self-moving hoists mounted on crawlers (fig. 2), able to drive off the roads, on mountain
tracks, and to reach out of the way sites, as, for example, the Strobe Pine of Chiusa Pesio
(CN) and the Ilex of Rigoroso Arquata Scrivia (AL).
Figure 2. A particular type of hoist
mounted on a caterpillar tractor.
Chiusa Pesio (CN)
Figure 3. Tree climbing technique is used to
prune trees unreachable by mechanical
means. Pietraporzio (CN)
In other cases, operations were carried out by the aid of stairs and tree climbers,
pruners that climb the plant and work using ropes and hooks (fig.3). Two example are the
Chestnut tree of Crodo (VB) and the Larch of Pietraporzio (CN).
Results
During the three years (2001-2003) of work, cures were performed on 39 trees or
arboreal groups (fig. 4). The chosen plants, placed in homogenous patterns in the Piedmont
region (fig. 5), belong mainly to native species; only in some cases they are exotic, like, as
an example, the Sequoias of Burcina Park (BI) and Roccavione (CN) or the Gingko of
Casalbeltrame (NO). Faced problems were very heterogeneous: in some cases treated trees
presented only dry branches (for example the Ilex of Rigoroso, AL, and the Larix of Rima,
VB); in other cases the crown was so poorly balanced and badly conformed that specific rebalancing and crown reduction tinning was necessary (for example, the Yew-tree of
Cavandone, VB, and the Horse-chestnut of Casorzo, AT). Sometime many wood decays
were detected so recovery techniques were to be used (for example, the Cedrus of
Montalenghe, TO, the Chestnut of Bioglio, BI, the Ash of Moncenisio, TO); finally, some
trees were so injured and presented so complex problems that a specific recovery project
was necessary; it usually included not only the common cures but also the realisation of
particular supports (for example, the Lime of Macugnaga, VB, the Planes of Savigliano, CN).
Described and treated plants appear sufficiently such vigorous as to assure a majestic
presence along time. Obviously, the necessary conditions are their constant monitoring and
on-time execution of the necessary cures in order to avoid serious damages to the tree in
the future.
115
Figure 4. List of treated trees
Figure 5. Distribution of the Trees
in the Piedmont Region
In the first enclosure, some pictures of some types of cures, executed during the project,
are reported.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank very much Federica Spaziani and Annamaria Ferrara who helped to
write this work and Fabio Petrella who helped to translate it into English 116
First enclosure
Pictures of the main types of carried out cures
117
118
119
120
121
THE PRODIGIOUS CYPRESS OF SAN BENEDETTO IL MORO
D.S. La Mela Veca*, M. Ala*, F. Terranova** and G. Barbera*
* Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Università di Palermo
** Centro Regionale per la Progettazione e il Restauro, e per le Scienze Naturali ed Applicate ai Beni
Culturali, Assessorato dei Beni Culturali ed Ambientali e della P.I., Regione Siciliana
1. Introduction
In the Mediterranean culture, the cypress is traditionally a sacred tree, often with
funeral meaning. The Etruschi, the Greek and the Romans used to represent it on the funeral
urns. The cypress was devoted to Plutone and was planted in front of the doors as mourning,
the funereal crowns had been woven with leafy branches of myrtle and cypress. As funeral
trees, the cypress is remembered by Plinio and sung by Ovidio and Virgilio (CHIUSOLI, 1979).
The sacredness of the cypress is confirmed by an old imposing exemplar, considered as the
oldest tree in Palermo (PINTAGRO, 1992). It is located next to the fifteenth-century convent
of Santa Maria di Gesù in the outskirts of the city. According to the tradition, cypress is
sprouted miraculously from a fixed baton in the ground by S. Benedetto il Moro, born of
Ethiopian slaves in 1524. He lived for a long time like a hermit and therefore, since 1562,
lived in the convent, with the exception of a brief permanence in the convent of SantAnna
in Giuliana, up to 1589. He was considered a holy thaumaturge man, he was patron of
Palermo and he was known through the Franciscan Order and the Spanish Court also in
Spain and in Latin America. He was canonized by Pio VII in 1807. His body is conserved in
the Church of Santa Maria di Gesù and it is still today an attraction of pilgrimage (DELLAIRA,
2003; FIUME, 2000).
Figure 1 - The cypress of San Benedetto il Moro with the Conca dOro in a press of 1840
(drawn from Pictures from Sicily, London)
According to the legend about the veneration of the Saint, the thriving cypress - next to
the chapel where Benedetto stopped for praying, located not very far from the convent
along a path of the slopes of Mount Grifone which is used for celebrating of the via crucis had been grown through a baton used by him. The exceptionality of the cypress is testified
also by a habitus considered unusual for the disposition of the principal branches on the
stem that is derived from the fact written in 1612 by the great Spanish dramatist Lope de
Vega, il frate nero piantò (il bastone, ndr) capovolto nel terreno prima di morire. I suoi
rami non spiovono intorno come quelli degli abeti comuni. Si allargano verso il cielo, alla
rovescia (DELLAIRA, 1995). The cypress is either important for its great historical and
religious meaning, or for its presence connected to the cult of a very popular and revered
Saint. It is surely a monumental tree for its age, dimensions, visibility in the landscape,
history and religious values (PAVOLINI, 1999). The dating and the analysis Visual Tree
Assessment (VTA) of the cypress, further to have a religious value, (the necessity of the
miracle would be denied by a non compatible age with the years of the permanence of the
Saint in the convent), constitutes an important contribution to the knowledge of the richest
vegetable patrimony of a city, whose suburban territory (the Conca dOro) is known to the
historians of the environment and the agriculture as di antico e quasi mitico predominio
dellalbero (B EVILACQUA , 1996). For the dating of the tree has been carried out a
dendrochronological analysis. Through the dendrochronological approach with the simple
determination of the number of rings of growth in the stem is, in fact, possible to determine
the age of the tree investigated and to quantify, potentially, the relationships between plant
and environment (CORONA, 1980).
122
2. Location, environmental and botanical aspects of the study area
The cypress of San Benedetto is located in the park of pertinence of the convent and
the monumental cemetery of Santa Maria di Gesù at an altitude of 190 m a.s.l. and at slopes
of Grifone Mount, in the southern part of the city of Palermo (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. View of the Convent and of the monumental Cemetery of Santa Maria di Gesù
The area represents a roughed morphology with superior inclinations over 40% and with
exposure N-NW. The climate is characterized by mild temperatures and precipitations like
those regional. According to the Rivas-Martinez bioclimate classification the climate is upper
Thermo-mediterranean-subhumid. The local primary vegetation probably was a mixed
Mediterranean oak forest dominated by Quercus virgiliana and Quercus ilex, while the areas
characterized by shallow soil and a warmer climate were probably characterized by an
evergreen sclerophyllous maquis. Despite the strong human impact on the territory, on the
NW slopes of Grifone Mount grow different species of the Rhamno alaterni-Quercetum ilicis,
an evergreen plant community typical on limestone slopes of the coastal area of Palermo
Mounts (BRULLO and MARCENÒ, 1985; GIANGUZZI et al., 1996) (Fig. 3).
Figure 3. Shrub community near the cypress of San Benedetto il Moro
On the slopes along the path which from the sanctuary takes to the cypress, it is
possible to notice some pre-forest vegetation fragments belonging to Oleo-Ceratonion siliquae
alliance, grassland features belonging to Hyparrhenion hirtae alliance, as well as rocky cliffs
communities referable to Dianthion rupicolae alliance.
The actual landscape is characterized by rock outcrops and by xeric and poor grasslands,
dominated by Hyparrhenia hirta. Elsewhere are present several species quite common in
open maquis (Oleo sylvestris-Euphorbietum dendrolidis), such as Olea europaea var. sylvestris,
Euphorbia dendroides, Ceratonia siliqua, Prasium majus, Asparagus albus, Calicotome infesta,
Ruta chalepensis, Teucrium fruticans, and many species of the more mature maquis
communities (Rhamno alaterni-Quercetum ilicis), such as Fraxinus ornus, Pistacia terebinthus,
Rhamnus alaternus, Asparagus acutifolius, Rosa sempervirens, Rubia peregrina, etc.
In the recent past these semi-natural and subnatural communities have been overlapped
with Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinea, Cupressus sempervirens and Acacia saligna plantations.
Despite their high density, within them it is possible to observe quite remarkable processes
of early naturalization stages. Near the convent and inside the cemetery there are different
monumental individuals of cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). The most imposing one is
actually the cypress of San Benedetto (C. sempervirens var. horizontalis), which grows
isolated on the slopes of Grifone Mount near the chapel dedicated to the Saint (Fig. 4): its
circumference is 3.50 m (at 2 m above ground) and its height is 23 m.
123
Figure 4. The cypress of San Benedetto il Moro today. The background which remains of Conca dOro
The crown shows some empty spaces because of the desiccation of different branches,
especially in the basal part. The stem also is damaged probably caused by fires and buttresses
typical of old trees.
3. Dating and stability of the cypress of San Benedetto il Moro
3.1 Methodology
For the dating has been taken out a tree core with the incremental borer of Pressler in a
height of around 25 cm from the ground. In laboratory the tree core has been pasted on a
wood support with a central groove. In order to examine the transversal section, there has
been performed the pasting of the core taking care of that the woody fibres which were put
in orthogonal way on the plan of support. The tree core has, finally, been smoothed with a
thin abrasive paper (100, 250 and 400), in order to underline the growth rings and to make
easier their reading and measurement (Fig. 5).
The preliminary phase of analysis of the sample was the cross-dating (FRITTS, 1976)
which means giving the exact forming year of every single ring. This operation has been
performed with a stereoscope dating the series beginning from the last ring that is formed
under the bark. The dating has been performed comparing the series with another of a near
cypress of inferior age.
Figure 5. Pasted and smoothed tree core, ready to be analyzed
The comparison has been effected considering the total thickness of the rings
(characteristic rings), the thickness of the zone with the spring and summer wood, the
mean vase dimension and the presence of possible scars (SCHWEINGRUBER et al., 1978). The
individualization of characteristic rings has a fundamental importance to resolve doubtful
cases and to individualize absent or double (false) rings. The dating has been very difficult
because of the irregular rhythm of growth of the species that often determines the formation
of false rings. The cypress, for such reason is considered by dendrochronologists a trouble making species. For these reasons the cypress is a low studied species, although in Italy
have been done some short chronologies and well cross - dating on trees located in the
southern Appennino (Salerno and Potenza) by CORONA (1970).
The individualization of false rings has been, in our case, difficult because was examined
only a small section of the plant (only one tree core, not being able to withdraw others for
the presence of an adjacent wall on the base of the stem) so it hasnt been possible to
verify if there were vanished false rings which are absent in the whole circumference. In
124
order to recognize the absent rings it has been necessary to start from the consideration
that they differ from those true. The true ones showed an early thick and a late thread-like
zone. Furthermore, in the true rings, the limit between the late and early zone is marked but
that one between the early and late zone is a little vanished. In the conifers generally the
false rings are separate from those true because of their external part which is less intensely
coloured (UZIELLI E NARDI BERTI, 1979; GIORDANO, 1981) (Fig. 5).
The thickness of rings has been measured with the dendrochronograph LINTAB 3. The
measures have been performed with a precision of 1/100 mm beginning from the first ring at
the centre of the tree. Considering that the cypress of San Benedetto is a monumental tree,
we have also effected, in sight of possible protective interventions, an analysis of the
stability according to the criterions of evaluation established by the methodology VTA (MATTHECK
E BRELOER, 1998) and according to the suggestions by the Protocol ISA on the Evaluation of
the Stability of Trees © that provide a visual and instrumental examination. The data
sampled has been transcribed on a special card, which will constitute a general updating of
informative base for the following instrumental analyses e/o for the evaluation of the level of
stability in order to define the possible necessary interventions and the periodicity
recommended for the following controls.
The instrumental examination has been performed using the Resistograph (model F400 S)
and the fractometer. The research has been assembled at the base of the stem, and from a
first visual investigation, has been underlined a light camber, a possible symptom of inside
degradation. There have been effected 5 tests in order to investigate the whole circumference
of the stem. The tests with the fractometer (3 measurements) have been performed on a
tree core, withdrawn in correspondence of the resistograph survey n. 1, with the purpose to
determine its moment of breaking.
3.2 Results
The Cypress of San Benedetto is 426 years old and, therefore, it is born in 1577. In the
figure 6 are represented the elementary chronology of the tree. Being formed from a single
ring series, it can be suffered from errors due to the individuation of false rings.
Its annual mean growth has been of 87,88 cents of mm; after a first short period of slow
growing, and then about two hundred years of sustained growth followed by a slowdown.
However there is large variability in tree-ring width probably due to exceptional climatic
events e/o troubles of human origin, mainly fires. The progress of the broken one is sufficiently
homogeneous and typical of isolated tree.
&XSUHVVXVVHPSHUYLUHQV
/
800
700
600
P
P
500
H 400
UR
VVH 300
S
6
200
100
0
1574
1599
1624
1649
1674
1699
1724
1749
1774
1799
1824
1849
1874
1899
1924
1949
1974
1999
2024
$QQR
Figure 6 - Elementary chronology of the cypress of San Benedetto il Moro
The resistograph profiles dont clearly underline the growth intervals because the transition
between early and late zone is gradual. However it has not been possible to compare the
profiles with the graph derived by the dendrochronological study of a tree core withdrawn
immediately on the resistograph profile n. 1 (Fig. 7). For the analysis of the stability, the
graphs got with the Resistograph showed, along their length, a regular progress. The increasing
progress of the graph from the outside of the stem toward the inside is caused by a greater
content of extracted. This helps to increase the density of the heartwood in comparison to
the sapwood. The investigations with the resistograph and with the fractometer have not
underlined wood degradation.
The fractometer tests performed on the tree core have underlined values of the parameters
125
(moment of fracture and angle of fracture) comparable with the safety limits drawn by field
studies on trees of the same species.
Visual analysis has, in fact, pointed out light defects of form and small anomalies. The
risks of the crashing down are referable to those of the class A. The light morphological
anomalies can get worse in the time. From the visual analysis have not been found, however,
symptoms of degradation in the stem and in the principal branches. A light torsion of fibres
noticed on a branch, as light lines on the stem, take part of the morphological characteristics
of the species and they are common in old trees.
Figure 7 - Profile n. 1 of resistograph analysis
4. Conclusions
Dating performed using dendrochronology analysis has allowed to certify that the tree is
about 426 year old. Going back for an equivalent period of time, we reach 1577 that is
almost in the mean of the period of permanence of the Saint in the convent (1567-1589).
Beyond every fideistic approach it is possible that San Benedetto has transplanted in that
place, less probable - for the difficulty of the cypresses to take root by cutling - that
originates from the Saints baton! Its crown shape (Fig. 4) considered strange and its old
age, in fact, are perfectly compatible with the fact that the tree belongs to the variety of
horizontalis. In fact, the historical image goes back to 1840 and shows a typical cypress of
this variety; following alterations which could have been caused by winds, lightnings and
fires. The research has surely confirmed the elevated historical-religious value of the
monumental tree which in the future merits to mostly be protected and respected. The
analysis of stability has also allowed to give useful indications to its safeguard. On the stem
has been observed, died fragments caused by precedents badly cuts susceptible of
degradation. It is advisable, therefore, the trimming of the same to avoid that the agents of
degradation can pass to the healthy portions of the wood inside the stem. Furthermore, on
the internal part of crown there are different died ramifications of first and second order
that makes opportune pruning practice. Besides, the pruning is important to decrease the
resistance of the crown against the wind.
Dealing with a subject of the crashing down risk belonging to the class A, it is necessary
a biennial visual analysis and an instrumental verification after three years. The results
encourage to keep on studying the dendrochronology of the cypress in order to draw
information on the climatic history and on the quality of the air of Palermo.
Acknowledgements
A particular thanks to Salvo Pasta for his contribution for the floristic analysis and to
Carlo Di Leo for the stability analysis.
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PAVOLINI M., 1999 - Alberi monumentali e territorio. Evoluzione geostorica, considerazioni fitogeografiche
e valenza dei grandi patriarchi italiani. Rivista di Storia dellAgricoltura, Anno XXXIX, n°1: 4-32.
PINTAGRO M., 1992 Arborea. La storia di Palermo in cento alberi illustrati. Helix Media Editore, Palermo.
SCHWEINGRUBER F.H., FRITTS H.C., BRAKER O.U., SCHAR E., 1978 - Dendroclimatic studies on conifers from
central Europe and Great Britain. Boreas, 8: 427-452.
UZIELLI U., NARDI BERTI R., 1979 Aspetti tecnologici del legno di Cipresso (Cupressus sempervirens
L.). In: Grasso V. e Raddi P., Atti del seminario Il cipresso. Malattie e difese, Firenze, 23/24
Novembre, pp.95-109.
127
INVENTORY OF THE VETERAN TREES DESERVING PROTECTION IN THE PROVINCE OF
FERRARA
E. Mantovani1, G. Morelli2, L. Raspanti3, The Committee for the Safeguard of Trees in the
Ferrara Province4
Provincial Administrator in Ferrara; 2 Professional, Ferrara; 3 Professional, Bologna; 4 The
Committee for the safeguard of trees in the Ferrara Province comprises the representatives of the
following associations: Friends of the Ferrarese Museums and Monuments, AREA, Unione circle,
Deputazione di Storia Patria, the Biology Department of Ferrara University, the Faculty of
Architecture of Ferrara University, FAI, Ferrariae Decus, Ferrara Garden Club, the UNESCO-Ferrara
group, ITALIA NOSTRA, Legambiente, LIPU, the Roll of Forest Agronomists of the Ferrara Province,
the Ferrara Naturalists Society, WWF
1
Introduction
In 1977 the Emilia-Romagna Region established, according to the Regional Law n. 2 of
the selfsame year, the preservation and safeguard of arboreal specimens, single or grouped,
in copses, in rows, of outstanding scientific or monumental interest. The basis for this
legislative norm was a summary inventory, carried out on the principle of the unprompted
notice on the part of local administrations of the trees, both privately and publicly owned,
that seemed deserving protection. In the context of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Province
of Ferrara appeared to be the least endowed with trees having a monumental character,
with a total of 20 protected single trees or groups of trees, i.e. only 3.12% of the overall
patrimony of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Next to these trees another 60 trees were mentioned,
identified as remarkable, whose botanical and environmental importance was recognized,
but no specific control was provided for them. As from 2003 the Province of Ferrara has
decided to see to the updating of the information relative to the protected specimens,
entrusting the survey relative to the Ferrarese territory to the Studio Progetto Verde,
together with Ms. L. Raspanti, agronomist. At the same time, the Province of Ferrara has
started a program for the identification and the valorization of the environmental pity points
that, starting off from known and verified data, would then merge all the available data, and
then proceed to a rational management of the whole of the provincial patrimony. In practice,
this is an inventory that requires a careful and thorough survey, as of now still in progress,
on the presence in the territory, of vegetation emergencies of the arboreal and shrub type
linked to the landscape, with particular attention to the arboreal specimens possessing
monumental importance. The present study illustrates the methods by which this survey
will be carried out, anticipating some of the results already achieved.
Materials and methods
The elements of the landscape with which the Ferrara Provincial Administration is concerned
are: single trees, copses, rows of trees avenues, hedges, traditionally planted orchards of
typical trees, rows trees planted for vine-bearing. Limiting the treatment to single trees
only, the information to be gathered are the following dendrometric, morphologic and
architectonic data, conditions of visibility and accessibility to the site, and the perception of
the tree in the landscape, that is its relevance to the landscape. The survey operations
have been organized according to a feed-back principle and can be schematically described
in the following way:
128
The first process entails making the local authorities, in particular municipals, aware of
the need to signal the elements worthy of entering the inventory, using as a prop a summary
survey card called Individuation file-card (Attachment n.1 Individual file-card for single
tree) The whole corpus of these reports, together with those produced by the Committee
for the Safeguard of Trees is received by the Province through the second process. The
evaluation of the incoming data allows the identification of the elements in the landscape
actually deserving protection. For these, through the third process, an actual inventory is
activated, which requests a detailed survey chart, called Complete specialist file-card
(Attachment n.2) filled in by the professionals. This stage is also accompanied by the
topographical identification of the tree, by means of G.P.S. technology, ad by its position on
specific thematic maps. In the detailed survey, particular importance is given to photographic
data, which must significantly illustrate the data described in the file-card. All gathered
information, organized on computer, is given back to the Province though the fourth process,
so as to be reorganized and used for management, planning and information aims.
Results
As already said, the work is still in progress, and it is thus impossible, at the moment, to
produce data on the scope of heritage of monumental trees of the Province of Ferrara, or on
its intrinsic features. Nevertheless, a first summary of the surveys carried out for the
updating of information relative to the trees protected under regional law n. 2, 1977, allows
us some fundamental considerations. The data gathered in the past on the basis of
spontaneous information without successive verification are approximate and often incorrect.
A simple spontaneous indication does not permit an exhaustive picture of the veteran trees
that are actually present in a given area which, in the case of the Province of Ferrara,
seems to be much richer in valuable arboreal elements than the historical data in possession
of the Province indicated. The lack of updating available information, lasting more than two
decades, supplies a much more optimistic view of the arboreal monumental heritage than
hitherto supposed.
Lastly, it can be observed that the mere safeguard of an arboreal specimen, detached
from a monitoring and enhancing program on its behalf does not guarantee it effective
safeguard. These initial considerations confirm the validity of the choice of several different
figureheads (volunteer associations, local administrators and professionals) concurring together
to the inventory of remarkable trees. Furthermore, they underline the need of coordinating
the work and of safeguarding at a more limited level than the regional one, that is at
provincial level.
Conclusions
The work so far carried out, on the basis of previous experiences, strongly supports the
idea of creating a data-bank that would transcend being a simple cognitive reference, but
which might become a tool in the valorization of the territory. To achieve this result, it is
expedient to link all gathered information with the dynamics of the area they refer to,
shifting from a merely impositive view of protection to a propositive one, thanks to which
the identification and the filing of a monumental tree be translated in an undertaking of
responsibility towards it, whereby any desire of safeguarding it be translated in an actual
act of management and valorization.
Bibliography
Assessorato allAmbiente, Istituto Beni Culturali, Regione Emilia-Romagna (1991). Alberi
monumentali dellEmilia-Romagna. Censimenti e tutela. Bologna.
Lonsdale D. (1999). Principles of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management. The Stationery Office,
Norwich England.
Morelli G. (1999). Il Censimento del verde del Comune di Ferrara. Estimo e Territorio, 9: 54-56.
Nicolotti G., Della Beffa G., Mondino G. P., Palenzona M. (2003). Alberi monumentali in Piemonte.
Presenze e avversità. Priuli & Verlucca editori, Ivrea (To).
Read H. (2000). Veteran Trees: a guide to good management. English Nature, Peterborough
Inghilterra.
Tosetti T., Tovoli C. (ed.) (2002). Istituto per i beni artistici culturali e naturali della Regione Emilia
Romagna. Giganti protetti gli alberi monumentali in Emilia Romagna. Editrici Compositori, Bologna.
129
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131
OBSERVATIONS ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CERATOCYSTIS FIMBRIATA F.SP. PLATANI
ON PLANES IN A HISTORICAL LINE AND ATTEMPTS OF DISEASE CONTROL
R. Martinis, P. Gonthier, F. Guglielmo, G. Nicolotti, A.M. Ferrara°, F. Tagliaferro°, E. Viotto°
University of Torino, Di.Va.P.R.A. Plant Pathology, Grugliasco (TO) - Italy
°Forest and Environment Institute I.P.L.A. S.p.A. Istituto per le Piante da Legno e lAmbiente,
Torino - Italy
Summary
Four Platanus hybrida trees suddenly died in summer 2001 in a historical line at Serralunga
di Crea (Al), North Western Italy. The death was due to the canker-stain disease caused by
Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp. platani. This paper describes the patterns of epidemics of
Ceratocystis within the line. Since summer 2001, seven trees have been dying, and 12 trees
were found to be infected by the pathogen in the xylem vessels either of the stem or of the
roots. The role of root contacts, root anastomoses, and vectors for the spread of the
disease within the line is discussed in the paper. Attempts to stem the epidemics by physical
barriers were also made, and preliminary results are given.
Introduction
Among the tree species growing in urban environments or parks, the planes (Platanus
spp.) are commonly considered as good candidates to became monumental trees. Their
relatively rapid growth, allowing to attain great dimensions, the shape of their crown, the
morphology and colour of their bark, all accounts for such position. According to a recent
census of trees in Piemont (North Western Italy), about ten percent of candidates to
become monumental trees are planes (unpublished data). Planes are susceptible to wood
decay fungi, root rot and leaf disease agents that may affect their vitality and integrity
(Nicolotti et al. 2001; Marchetti, 2003; Nicolotti et al., 2004). Planes are also susceptible to
a lethal fungal disease named canker-stain, and caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp.
platani. Ceratocystis infects planes by spores or mycelial fragments on contaminated pruning
tools, or through terracing machinery which causes damage to the roots (Vigouroux and
Stojadinovic, 1990). It has also been shown that the fungus may spread from one tree to
another via root grafts (Accordi, 1986). Despite these findings, the epidemiology of cankerstain disease still need investigations.
Since the disease is extremely serious, protocols for the quarantine or the control are
prescribed by the law in several European Countries. In Italy, according to the D.M. 17/04/
1998, infected trees and any surrounding trees must be felled, and their wood must be
incinerated or, alternatively, buried. Stumps should be extracted from the soil or killed by
chemicals. The Italian protocol prescribes that all operations (i.e. felling, transport of infected
wood) must be carried out avoiding sawdust dispersion in order to minimize the risk of new
infections. As these approaches are quite onerous, any alternative strategies for disease
control would be appreciable. The goals of this paper were: i) to describe the patterns of
epidemics of canker-stain in a historical line, where no pruning (i.e. infection courts) has
been occurring for decades, ii) to calculate the number of root contacts and anastomoses
between neighboring trees, in order to assess the potential for tree to tree fungal spread,
and iii) to check for the presence of C. fimbriata in roots of different diameter classes.
Attempts to stem the epidemics by physical barriers within the line were also made, and
preliminary results are given in the text.
Materials and method
The present study was carried out in a historical line (Fig. 1) comprising 36 Platanus
hybrida Brot., located at Serralunga di Crea (Al) (Tenuta Guazzaura), in the North Western
Italy. Planes were about 160 years old, 30 m high, and their diameter at breast height (DBH)
ranged between 70 to 160 cm. In summer 2001 four trees suddenly died. Diagnosis revealed
the presence of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani inside the xylem vessels of dead trees. Such
finding was interesting because i) the line was far away from any other plane formations,
and ii) no pruning has been occurring for decades, so no apparent infection courts may
explain how the fungus established there.
Patterns of epidemics of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani
All trees were carefully mapped, and their general health conditions were monitored
monthly since summer 2001. Trees displaying withering on crown, or simply sparse chlorotic
132
foliage, were sampled, after bark removal, by extracting wood pieces of about 4 x 4x 3 cm
by a sterilized scalpel from the edge of areas of xylem discoloration or at 1.3 m above
ground. Wounds were treated with methyl thiophanate (Enovit Metil, Sipcam).
The presence of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani was detected from collected samples either by
incubating them in a moist chamber at 22° C in order to induce fruit bodies differentiation, or
by extracting wood slivers (5-6 x 2-3 mm) and incubating them for 5 days onto 5 cm Petri
dishes filled with Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) (PDA 39g, streptomycine sufphate 0.150 mg, 1
l distilled water). The identification of fungal colonies was performed on the base of their
macro- and microscopic features. All Ceratocystis isolates were subsequently subcultured
and stored at 5° C on MEA (20 g glucose, 20 g malt extract, 2 g peptone, 20 g agar, 1 l
distilled water).
Fig. 1- Historical line of Platanus hybrida at Serralunga di Crea (Al) (Tenuta Guazzaura)
Investigations on root contacts and anastomoses between neighbouring trees
To study the potential for fungal spread via root contact or anastomoses, the root
system was excavated between two neighbouring planes (Fig. 2) to check for the occurrence
of root contacts or anastomoses between them. The two trees were 4,2 m far from each
other. The excavation was about 60 cm depth. All roots, down to 0.5 cm diameter, were
labelled and their diameter was measured each 10 cm.
Fig. 2- Excavation of the root system between two planes at Serralunga di Crea (Al) (Tenuta Guazzaura)
The following parameters related to the root system architecture were considered: i)
mean diameter and number of roots at 70, 140, 210, 280, 350, 420 cm from the collar of
trees, and ii) the total number of root contacts or root anastomoses between trees. Regression
analysis was used to explore the relationships between the diameter of roots and their
distance from the collar of the tree. To investigate for the relative importance of contacts
vs anastomoses, the surface of root contacts and root anastomoses between trees was
measured and compared.
Presence of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani in the roots
The presence of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani was checked in roots of three planes. Excavations
about 70 x 450 cm, and 160 cm depth, were made at about 3 m from the collar of trees. The
133
relative X Y coordinates of all roots visible on the profile were taken. A total of eighty roots
were sampled by excising transversal disks. The presence of the pathogen on the collected
samples was assessed as described above, or by checking for the presence of the typical
clamydospores of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani inside xylem vessels. Transversal sections 30 mm
thick were obtained by a microtome, and observations were performed under a light microscope
at 400 x magnification.
Attempts to control the epidemics within the line
Attempts to control the epidemics within the line were made by isolating uninfected from
infected trees. For this purpose, a total of 40 m of trenches, each about 170 cm depth,
were excavated in summer 2003. Broken roots on the walls of trenches were treated with
methyl thiophanate. Root barriers (RootcontrolÒ) were buried into the trenches in order to
prevent the negative effects of root growth (Fig. 3). The location of trenches is shown in
Fig. 4.
Fig. 3- Trenches were made in order to separate asymptomatic from infected trees.
Root barriers were buried into the trenches
Results
Patterns of epidemics of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani
Since summer 2001, 8 planes died (22%) in the line. C. fimbriata f.sp. platani has also
been isolated from four additional planes, displaying withering on crown, or sparse chlorotic
foliage. The location of trees within the line and their health conditions are shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 4- Location of Platanus hybrida trees in the Tenuta Guazzaura line. The health conditions of trees, as
specified in the legend, is up dated to October 2003. Numbers in bold characters are ID numbers of trees.
For each tree, remaining numbers refer to the number of months, calculated from July 2001, when first
symptoms of canker-stain and death occurred, respectively. The figure also shows the location of trenches
and root barriers
134
Starting for the first infection center, comprising the four trees died in July 2001 (ID 12,
13, 14, 15), the disease spread to tree number 16, 17, and 11. A second infection center
appeared at least one year later at about 50 m far, and comprises trees number 4, 1, 3, and
6. Tree number 24 displayed canker-stain symptoms starting from March 2003, and it died in
July 2003. Trees have been dying four to ten months after showing first canker-stain
symptoms.
Investigations on root contacts and anastomoses between neighboring trees
The number of roots increased with the increasing of distance from the collar of trees.
On the other hand, regression analysis showed a negative relationship between mean diameter
of roots and distance from the collar (Fig. 5). The regression line indicates that at 5.37 m
from the collar the diameter of roots equals 0.
Fig. 5- Regression analysis between mean diameter of plane roots
and theirdistanc from the collar of trees
Three root anastomoses, and 1 root contact between the two trees were noticed. Total
surface was 590 cm2 and 80 cm2 for anastomoses and contacts, respectively.
Presence of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani in roots
Clamydospores of C. fimbriata f.sp. platani were found on roots laying from 10 cm to 170
cm depth (Fig. 6), and the fungus was successfully isolated from three roots.
Fig. 6- Clamydospores of Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp. platani inside xylem vessels of plane trees
Roots of 2 out of 3 of the investigated trees were infected. The percentage of infected
roots from these trees was 14% and 28%. Evaluating the percentage of infected roots for
roots included in three diameter classes (0-1, 1-2, and 2-3 cm) (Fig. 7), the maximum
percentage of infected roots resulted in the highest diameter class (50%).
135
fig. 7- Percentage of infected roots for each of three root diameter classes
Attempts to control the epidemics within the line
A total of 64 m2 of RootcontrolÒ barriers were unrolled. Since the moment when such
barriers were placed into trenches, no further death has been occurring. The time last since
that moment is however not sufficient to assess the effectiveness of such control measure,
and thus the monitoring is ongoing.
Discussion
The Tenuta Guazzaura at Serralunga di Crea represents a good site to study the
epidemiology of Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp. platani for three reasons: 1- canker-stain has
never been reported previously in the area, 2- the historical line is at least 3 km far from the
nearest plane trees, and 3-, as mentioned above, no pruning has been occurring for decades
there.
Two different, but not mutually exclusive, hypothesis may be formulated in order to
explain how the fungus came, presumably in 2001, into the line: by infected wood traveling
on the Asti-Mortara railway, and by long-distance animal vectors. Both insects and rodents
are potential agents of spread for Ceratocystis species (Crone and Bachelder, 1961; Panconesi
and Nembi, 1978). Woodpecker drilling holes rather than galleries of insects were noticed
through surveys performed with an elevator in the plane trunks and branches at Serralunga.
The role of woodpeckers as vectors for Ceratocystis should thus be taken into account for
future studies.
Three Ceratocystis infection centers are recognizable in the Guazzaura historical line,
comprising four trees, three trees, and one tree, respectively. Root contact and anastomoses
are likely to have played, as they can do (Accordi, 1986), an important role in the shortdistance spread of the disease within the infection centers. It has been shown that both
root contacts and root anastomoses are frequent between neighboring trees at Serralunga.
Moreover, the fungus was present into the xylem vessels of roots.
The spread of the disease between infection centers cannot be explained in terms of
tree to tree spread of the fungus via root grafts. According to the regression curve presented
in this study, the probability of root system overlapping would be negligible if two trees are
at 12 m or more far from each other, while infected trees comprised into different infection
centers are at least 40 m far from one another. Animals might have playied an important role
also in short and medium distance transmission of the disease.
Although further investigations are needed, we propose that animals living in the soil (i.e.
rodents, insects) rather than birds or flying insects may account for short and medium
distance fungal spread at Serralunga. The greater importance of soilborne vs airborne infection
in the line is supported by the following observations: i) infected trees died suddenly (4 to
10 months after first symptoms display), ii) xylem discoloration and cankers rarely developed
on branches and, on the contrary, were commonly associated with basal portions of stems,
and iii) in trees that became infected even though they were growing far away from any
previously infected trees (i.e. tree n. 24), the fungus was isolated from the collar and not
from the upper portions of the trees.
Root barriers we used in the line, should be, at least in the theory, useful to prevent new
infections in such a complex scenario, where the spread of the disease is likely originated
either by root grafs / root contacts or by vectors living in the soil. We are now assessing the
effectiveness of root barriers both in the laboratory and in the field, trough a periodic
monitoring of the health status of trees. The Tenuta Guazzaura also represents a good site
to test different methods to control unwanted spread of the fungus. For instance, we are
136
now testing the effectiveness of the wood solarization and chemical treatments as possible
methods to kill the pathogen into felled infected wood.
Acknowlegements
This research has been supported by a grant of the Regione Piemonte Assessorato
Politiche per la Montagna, Foreste e Beni Ambientali. The authors are grateful to Dr Mario
Palenzona for revising the text. We also thank Miss Ilenia Marafante, and the Servizio
Fitosanitario Regionale for their help in performing field surveys.
Refefences
Accordi M. S., 1986. Spread of Ceratocystis fimbriata f. platani through root anastomoses.
Informatore Fitopatologico 36, 53-58.
Crone L.J., Bachelder S., 1961. Insect transmission of canker stain fungus, Ceratocystis fimbriata
f.sp. platani. Phytopathology 51, 576.
Marchetti L., 2004. La difesa fitosanitaria delle piante ornamentali e forestali. Informatore Agrario
59, 89.
Nicolotti G., Gonthier P., Cellerino G. P, 2001. Malattie delle principali specie arboree ornamentali.
Informatore Fitopatologico 51, 21-26.
Nicolotti G., Gonthier P., Pecollo D., 2004. Ecologia e grado di preferenza dospite dei funghi
agenti di carie / I parte. Acer 1, 47-51.
Panconesi A., Nembi V., 1978. La Ceratocystis fimbriata del platano: aspetti biologici e possibilità
di lotta. Informatore Fitopatologico 28, 17-27.
Vigouroux P.A., Stojadinovic B., 1990. Possibilités dinfection du platane par Ceratocystis fimbriata
f. platani après contamination de leau où se développent des racines blessées. European Journal
of Forest Pathology 20, 118-121.
137
DEFENSE OF THE MONUMENTAL TREES IN SPAIN
B. Moya Sanchez
Director of the Department of Conservation of Monumental Trees, Deputation de Valencia IMELSA
Spain
The juridical protection of the Natural, Historic, Cultural, Social patrimony such as the
monumental trees and its outskirts, is the solution to guarantee their continuity and survival.
Now the Spanish State has trasfered his Environment competence to the AutonomyCommunities; for this reason only they are responsable of this patrimony.
But only few of the Autonomy-Communities have specific and efficienty giuridical protection
on this matter so that ours monumental trees are threaten and subject to:
- drastic pruning
- innatural transplantation
- urbanistic and industrial interest
- agriculture trasformation of uncertain reason
- arson
- defect to phytosanitary control and conservation technique
With this desolating situation is our opinion that all Autonomy-communities should encrease
their monumental trees protection by introducing the figure of the Local interested tree.
In this way is more easy to protect end encrease the number of the monumental trees in
local reality, and near to the people who lives in contat day by day, because they are ables
to understand the social, cultural, historical importance of those trees as testimonial of their
history and life. Most of our countries, for their environment and historical characteristic,
has support the existence of large bio-diversity of autochthonous and allochthonous trees,
that forms some parts of the woods, agricoltural cultivation and the ornamental vegetation
of our cities.
For this reason in the natural and urban ambient exist groups and botanic exemplaries
with historical, cultural, social, scientific exceptional characteristics and with great value
and local interest. This exemplary-list represent a irreplaceable trees patrimony that should
be protected. Also they are point of interest with cultural, social, economics and educational
function and point of start for diffuse the ambiental- sensibility , educational and the rispect
of natural resorse with the promotion of sustainable development.
The law 7/1985 Reguardora de las Bases de Règimen Local art. 25.2, par. d), e), f) e
m) stated the rules for the protection of parks, gardens, historical and artistic patrimony, in
order to declare directly protection to the trees, shurbs, palms or natural areas of Local
interest that they consider important, without any others supervision or authorization.
Based on this law, the Dipartiment of Monumental trees, Deputation of Valencia, has
elaborate a specific Municipal Order for the Local Interest Trees Protection . This Order is
a list of rules where are defined, in a legal context: - the subject - the application - the
validity - the interpretation - the system of catalogation - the rules for the trees and
environment management - the specific techique for the conservation - the financing the right and duty for the people and trees - the infraction and the sanction, according to
the statal rules.
This Municipal Order, adaptable to all Municipality, has been studied and adopted by a lot
of Municipality of the comunity of Valencia, Andalusia, Castillia La Mancha, Castilla Leon,
Madrid, Extremandura, Andalusia.
In this occasion we have a objective to diffuse this metodology of conservation with the
aim of protection of the monumental trees with the partecipation of the people.
The Dipartiment of Monumental Trees, Deputation of Valencia, is the only one recognized
Dipartiment in Spain from more than ten years . During this time his has become a center of
reference for the protection, management, recovery, promotion and valorization of the
monumental trees in Spain. This experience has allowed us to understand and to face all the
problems arised around the trees and their relation with the people.
Recently, in last December, we have showed the first book that by a well defined and
integral Spain cartography, describe our great biodiversity, his value and his state of
preservation (J. Plumed, J. Moya and B. Moya, 2003)
138
MONUMENTAL TREES OF LIGURIA (NORTH-WESTERN ITALY)
F. Russo(1), P. Du Jardin(1), G. Paola
(2)
(1) Regione Liguria, Dipartimento Agricoltura e Turismo, Servizio Politiche per lEntroterra
(2) Università di Genova, Dipartimento per lo Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse (DIPTERIS)
Introduction
The Liguria Regional Council has issued a regional list of Monumental Trees (Liguria Regional
Council Official Bulletin N° 15 of 10/04/2002, part II) according to Article 12 of Regional Law
n° 4 of 22nd January 1999, Norme in materia di foreste e di assetto idrogeologico (Forestry
and Geo-hydrological Regulations). The law regulates, for the first time in Liguria, the protection
and recognition of the value of the regions monumental trees, entering in a specific list
tree specimens, wherever rooted, that are of special naturalistic, environmental or historical
and cultural interest for the Region. It is important to point out that the protection afforded
by this regional law covers not only particular forest trees but also agrarian and ornamental
specimens. This is especially significant above all considering the history of Ligurian flora in
general and in particular the urban flora. In this region, due to the morphology of the terrain
and its specific climate, there is an unusual altitude-related distribution of forest species
due to the extreme closeness of the mountains to the sea and to the ease with which plants
originating from far-off countries become acclimatised.
Creation of the list of monumental trees of the liguria region
The Regional Council has issued specific instructions for approving, keeping and updating the list of Monumental Trees of the Liguria Region.
The work of searching for, conducting the census and describing the specimens started,
in the first place, with the acquisition of existing material from Public Bodies, because both
the Forestry Authorities and other public administrative bodies already kept lists of trees of
special interest. A form was then prepared for reporting specimens, for use by local authorities
(Provincial Councils, Mountain Communities, Municipal Councils, Park Authorities), associations
of various types (environmental, cultural and so on), schools and scientific organisations
and individuals. These forms can be used to provide information concerning either an isolated
specimen or groups of plans believed to be of special interest. The survey methodology was
then formulated, defining the assessment criteria and the parameters to be used. The task
of identifying the specimens and collecting the data were entrusted to the Provincial
Coordination Centres of the Forestry Corps.
The first list of Monumental Trees of Liguria was approved on 26th February 2002, and
subsequently up-dated (Official Bulletin part II n° 15 of 10/4/2002 and N° 20 of 14/5/2003).
It contains 108 single specimens plus 11 rows or groups of plants.
Monumental trees of liguria
The list of Monumental Trees includes very diverse plant typologies, bearing witness to
the heterogeneous composition of the vegetation of Liguria. Alongside the commonest species,
typical of the Ligurian woods, such as downy oaks, holm-oaks, beech trees and so on, and
plants proper to the regions rural heritage such as chestnut and olive trees, there are also
ornamental and exotic species, situated mainly in urban environments, such as several
species of palms.
The most widespread indigenous monumental trees were found to be Quercus ilex L.
(with 12 specimens listed), Quercus pubescens Willd. and Fagus sylvatica L. (11 specimens
each). Other species of evergreen and deciduous oaks are also listed ( Quercus suber L.,
Quercus crenata Lam., Quercus petraea Matt.), although the number of specimens is
decidedly lower, while there is no specimen of Quercus cerris, well represented nowadays
above all in the eastern part of the region and mentioned extensively in Medieval and later
documents also referred to central and western Liguria. These presences fit in well with the
vegetation cover of the region and are, after all, the living memory of the vegetation of past
centuries. The holm-oak is dominant along the Tyrrhenian coastal strip, thermophilous and
mesophilous oak woods higher up on the slopes facing both the coast and towards the Po
valley, and beech woods at yet higher altitudes on the Ligurian Apennines. The Alpine part
of the mountains of western Liguria features the presence on the list of Larix decidua Mill.
and Abies Alba Mill. The list also indicates indigenous species not frequently encountered
nowadays in our woods, such as Taxus baccata L. (3 specimens in the central part of the
region) and Tilia platyphyllos Scop. Two species proper to the regions rural heritage occupy
a special place: Olea europaea L. and Castanea sativa Miller. Only a few specimens of these
139
species are listed (4 and 5 respectively), in spite of the fact that they are both extremely
widespread in Liguria and well-known for their longevity. With reference to the olive-tree, it
is possible that the current scarcity of majestic specimens is due to the way in which it is
managed on the terraced slopes of the Mediterranean coastal strip of Liguria paying the
main attention to the best yield. As far as concerns the chestnut, the scarcity of veteran
specimens can be attributed to the changes introduced in the management of chestnut
woods following the arrival of chestnut ink and bark diseases.
Exotic species play a considerable part in the overview of monumental trees in Liguria: all
of 22 species indicated on the list do not belong to our own flora. Pinus pinea L. has also
been included in this list, since it is not spontaneous in this region. As many as 10 pine-nut
producing pines have been considered monumental, and almost all of these have an important
role in the landscape. The only other pine on the list is a specimen of Pinus canariensis
Smith, while there is no mention at all of either Pinus pinaster or Pinus halepensis, both
extremely widespread nowadays in Ligurian woods.
Although the highest trees in Liguria are above all exotic species, some indigenous
species such as the beech find conditions enabling optimum development on our Apennines:
Liriodendron tulipifera L. reaches 40 metres, Eucaliptus globulus Labill. 37 m, Fagus sylvatica
L. 37 m, Pinus canariensis Smith 36 m, Cedrus atlantica Endl. 35 m, Picea excelsa Link. 34 m,
Abies nordmanniana Spach. 32 m, Platanus orientalis L. 32 m, Cedrus libani A. Richard 30 m,
Cupressus sempervirens L. 30 m, Populus nigra L. 30 m, Sequoia sempervirens Endl 30 m,
Tilia platyphyllos Scop. 30 m.
Some exotic species have become typical of the Ligurian landscape, in particular along
the coast, such as the araucarias of Bordighera (Araucaria excelsa R.BR.) and palm trees.
There are three species of palm on the list: Jubaea chilensis H.B.K., Phoenix reclinata Jacq.,
and Washingtonia filifera Wendl., the first two being rare and the last extremely common.
The species of palms most common along the coast, Phoenix dactylifera and Phoenix
canariensis, are not listed at all.
Special links have developed over the centuries between trees and religious buildings.
Indeed, many monumental trees grow near chapels, churches, abbeys or shrines. In these
cases it can be said that the aesthetic and landscape value of the architectural complex is
enhanced also by the presence of these living monuments of nature. The species most
commonly found close to religious buildings are the cypress, found near the shrine of the
Madonna di Reggio in Vernazza (La Spezia) or that of the Madonna di Soviore in Monterosso
(La Spezia) and again near Borzone Abbey in Borzonasca (Genoa). Some of these trees are
several centuries old, this being a peculiar feature of cypresses, which at times are of the
same age as the nearby religious buildings.
Another species often found near churches is the holm-oak, of which there are handsome
specimens near the shrine of Our Lady of Lampedusa in the municipality of Castellaro (Imperia),
near the churches of Santa Giulia in Lavagna (Genoa), of Santa Maria del Campo in Rapallo
(Genoa), at the Montallegro shrine in Rapallo and again near the shrines of the Madonna di
Reggio in Vernazza (La Spezia) and of the Madonna di Soviore in Monterosso (La Spezia).
There are, however, also some less common species, such as the horse chestnut in front
of the churches of Sant Agostino and of San Bernardino in Triora (Imperia), or the nettletree in Piazza San Michele in Diano Borello (IM).
The maintenance and survival of these trees, now admired by us as monumental, may
have been facilitated by various different situations. Specimens growing in anthropic
environments, near religious buildings, in the gardens of stately homes, in public places and
on squares, as well as those close to houses in rural environments enjoy the constant
attention of people, who generally develop a special bond, often of affection, with them. As
far as concerns large old trees growing in woods or fields, it can be supposed that they were
very often maintained as signs for marking borders between estates, communities and
sometimes even between states.
This list of monumental trees of the Liguria Region is not exhaustive. It is intended,
rather, as a starting point for improving knowledge of the vegetable wealth of the region and
as a stimulus to encourage its careful management.
Bibliography
PAOLA G., CICILIOT F., 1998 - Woodland management and timber supply for ship masts in
eigtheenth century western Liguria (Italy), in Watkins C., European Woods and Forests: Studies
in Cultural History, pp. 157-163. CAB International, Oxon - New York.
PAOLA G., MINUTO L., 1994 - Indagine floristica sulle specie ornamentali nel verde pubblico della
fascia costiera franco ligure. Giorn. Bot. Ital. 128: 381.
140
PAOLA G., MINUTO L., 1998 Prime note sulle Palmae della Liguria. Medemia 1: 15-21, 1997.
RUSSO F., DU JARDIN P., BELTRAMI F., RUZZEDDU G., PAOLA G., 2003 Alberi di Liguria, monumenti
viventi della natura. Regione Liguria, Assessorato alle Politiche per lAgricoltura e lEntroterra,
Servizio Politiche per lEntroterra, Assessorato al Territorio e Ambiente, Ufficio Parchi e Aree Protette,
Corpo Forestale dello Stato Liguria, catalogo dei beni naturali n. 4, Erga Edizioni, Genova
Appendix
141
142
143
144
ON THE HEALTH OF A MONUMENTAL TREE OF FICUS MACROPHYLLA DESF. EX PERS. SUBSP.
COLUMNARIS (C. MOORE) P. S. GREEN (SIN. = FICUS MAGNOLIOIDES BORZÌ VAR. MAGNOLIOIDES)
IN PALERMO
L. Torta, G. Zoida, S. Burruano
Dipartimento S.En.Fi.Mi.Zo., Sezione di Patologia vegetale e Microbiologia agraria, Università degli
Studi - Palermo
Introduction
Some monumental trees of Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers. subsp. columnaris (C. Moore)
P. S. Green (sin. = Ficus magnolioides Borzì var. magnolioides; Fici and Raimondo, 1996) are
present in many parks and gardens of Palermo; the species, belonging to the family of the
Moraceae, originating from Australia, has been introduced into Europe in the early 19th, via
Palermo (Botanical Garden), where they become estabilished. Currently, some secular
monumental exemplars of stately dimensions (over 30 m of height and 40 of diameter of
leafage), and good health conditions characterize the parks of Giardino Garibaldi (Fig. 1a, b),
Villa Malfitano (Fig. 2), and Botanical Garden; nevertheless, since over one decade, on both
young and old neighboring trees to the aforesaid exemplars, a slow but progressive decay
was noted. Particularly, the plants initially show a slight apical defoliation with chlorosis and
leaves small, evolving in an apical drying that can affect one or more branches, or the whole
crown. Moreover, wood rot (white and brown, as well) in the trunk and in the principal
branches are evident, and, at the same time, more or less widespread cancerous lesions,
often with lactiferous flow, are present too. The first research on the etiology of such
alteration and on the possible contamination from the damaged plants to the healthy ones,
didnt give any definite results, inducing to hypothesize the physiological origin of the decaying
(Torta and Mondello, 1997). Recently, the decaying has also been noted in some ficus in the
park of Villa Malfitano where is present one of the most interesting monumental specimen,
together with secular and young trees. Therefore, a preliminary study has been started on
three different trees: the first, the monumental specimen, showing occasionally in some
branches an initial chlorosis, apical defoliation, and slight transparence in parts of the
crown; the second tree, showing apical drying widespread to more branches (Fig.3a), and
typical cancers; the last one, very damaged, with evident drying on branches and on the
whole crown (Fig.3b), showing defoliation, frequent cancerous lesions (Fig. 4a) with redbrownish underlying tissues (Fig. 4b), and abundant lactiferous flow. Furthermore, in the
first and third trees there were, both on the trunk and along the principal branches, evident
white or brown wood rot. In this first step, our observations were aimed to determine the
fungal community associated to the altered organs, pointing out the species that could be
correlated to the lesions.
The Park of Villa Malfitano
The Park of Villa Malfitano (belonging today to the Foundation Whitaker), was founded in
1886, for Giuseppe Whitakers will. Following the canons of the Romantic Garden, a rare
collection of exotic plants, which most of them are still living, has been planted inside the
park. The park, that occupies an area of over 4 Ha, today hosts about 250 species, most
tropical and sub-tropical and some Mediterranean taxa such as leccio (Quercus ilex), tino
(Fliburnum tinus) and colonies of dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis). The peculiarity of the
park, however, is the monumental specimen of F. macrophylla subsp. columnaris, planted in
late 19th and today take an area of about 1.000 m2 (Raimondo, 1995)
Material and methods
A branch showing different symptomatologies (wood rot, cancerous lesions, lactiferous
flows, desiccation of branches, defoliation, leaves small and chlorosis) has been chosen and
cut in several portions, for each tree. From each of these portions, some samples were
taken, bagged in polyethylene sacks, and brought to the laboratory. The samples, after
preliminary washing by tap water, were used for preparation of moist chambers and techniques
of isolation. In this last case, the surface of samples have been previously sterilized, by
immersion in aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite at 5% for 5 minutes or by rapid flaming.
Fragments of woody tissues in the marginal zone of the lesions, have been taken in sterile
way, and put in Petri dishes containing universal medium (PDA); both these, and the moist
chambers, were incubated at 21 °C. The pure cultures were identified on the base of their
macro- and microscopic features, using taxonomic keys and atlas of identification (Barnett,
1965; Hawksworth et al., 1995).
145
Results and discussions
The laboratory analysis showed a certain biodiversity inside the fungal community related
to the different symptomatologies, as reported in TAB 1. Particularly, colonies of Rhizoctonia
spp., Gliocladium spp., Alternaria spp., Trichoderma spp., Stemphylium spp., etc, ubiquitary
saprotrophyc microorganisms or weak pathogens, grown both in moist chambers and on
PDA. Colonies belonging to genus Cytosporella (Fig. 5) were the most frequently isolated:
numerous strains, in fact, were constantly connected to the apical drying and, on the
second tree, to all the different symptomatologies.
Since some species of Cytosporella are known like primary or secondary agents of dryings
of the branches on different forest trees, like pine (C. damnosa; Goidanich, 1964) and
poplar (C. populi; Stefanov et al., 1961), it is possible to consider such fungus implicated in
manifestation of the alteration. Relatively to the most declining specimen sample inside
fungal community of the cancerous lesions of the xylematic necrosis and wood rot, have
recurrently revealed the presence of strains of Verticillium spp. and Fusarium spp., fungal
genera well-known as tracheomycotic agents.
Further pathogenecity tests on healthy plants will allow to define the possible role of
Cytosporella spp. on the manifestation of the apical drying of F. magnioloides subsp.
columnaris and, in particular, of the monumental tree.
The observations on the fungal community associated to the different symptomatologies,
compared to results obtained from the most declining specimens, could give useful indications
on the interaction between the most recurrent taxa and the development of the decline.
Tab.1: Fungal genera associated to the lesions of the three specimens of Ficus macrophylla
subsp. columnaris (Villa Malfitano, PA)
a
b
Fig. 1 - An asymptomatic monumental tree of F. macrophylla
ssp. columnaris in Giardino Garibaldi in Palermo:
a) crown; b)trunk with columnar and tabular roots
146
Fig. 2 - The monumental tree of F. macrophylla ssp. columnaris
in Villa Malfitano (specimen 1), showing a slight transparence in the crown.
a
b
Fig. 3 - Different stages of the decline of F. macrophylla ssp. columnaris:
a) apical drying widespread in some branches; b)evident drying of the whole crown
a
b
Fig. 4 - Xylematic alterations detected during the observations:
a)cancers; b) reddish, brownish, and necrosis of the tissues
147
Fig. 5 - Pure colony of Cytosporella sp., isolated from apical drying of F. macrophylla ssp. columnaris;
in the frame, section of a pycnidia formed in black, irregular stroma (bar = 50 µm)
References
Barnett, 1965: Illustrated Genera of Imperfect Fungi. Burgess Publishing Company, Minneapolis;
Fici S., Raimondo F.M., 1996: On the real identity of Ficus magniolioides. Curtiss Botanical Magazine,
13, 105-107;
Hawksworth D.L., Kirk P.M., Sutton B.C., Pegler D.N., 1995: Ainsworth & Bisbys Dictionary of the
fungi, 8th ed. International Mycological Institute, CAB International, University Press, Wallingford,
UK;
Goidanich G., 1964: Manuale di Patologia vegetale, Vol. II. Edagricole, Bologna, 928;
Raimondo F.M., 1995: The Garden of Villa Malfitano, Giuseppe Witakers Foundation, Palermo;
Stefanov D., Zashev B., Tsanova Mme P. 1961: Brown sap-flow and some fungi on stems and
branches of Poplars in the Peoples Repubblic of Bulgaria. Nauch. Trud. vissh. Lesotekh. Inst.,
Sofiya, 9, 143-156. In R.A.M. 1963, 42, 577;
Torta L., Mondello V., 1997: Osservazioni sullo stato fitosanitario di Ficus magnolioides Borzì var.
magnolioides nella città di Palermo. Atti III Congresso Europeo di Arboricoltura; II Giornate Meranesi
dellAlbero. Merano, 14-16/05/1997.
148
THE IMPACT OF RESISTOGRAPH ON TREE DECAY
A. Toussaint, JP. Baudoin, B. Campanella, Pr. R. Paul
Unit of Tropical crop husbandry and Horticulture, FUSAGx
Laboratory for environmental Toxicology, FUSAGx
Acknowledgements
This work was founded by the Ministry of the Walloon Region (Belgium), G.D. for Natural
Resources and Environment and G.D. for Employment and Training. We also thank F.N.R.S.
for its financial contribution
Summary
People in charge of green heritage are even more frequently asked for objective information
about future of street or park trees showing signs of decay. Generally, these are needed for
insurance or security reasons. Resistograph is one of the most commonly used tools in
establishing rapid diagnostic. It is easy to use, affordable for most of public authorities and
resistogram is a visual proof of the analyses.
Nevertheless, in some cases, this tool may induce side effects that are not negligible.
This study on Tilia sp. shows a four fold increased spread of heart rot in the wood crossed
by the resistograph needle. If lignolytic fungi attack trees, one can fear a faster disease
spread inside trunk and/or branches but also a possible transport from tree to tree if needles
are not properly disinfected. As a consequence, this invasive technique has to be used only
when necessary, and not systematically.
Introduction
In 1992, 280 roadside trees (Tilia cordata and T. europea) were drastically pruned.
During the next ten years, numerous sprouts were produced (Toussaint et al. 2002). New
intervention was necessary to avoid that natural selection led to branch fall. In 2002,
experimentation was started to test the efficiency of several soil treatments in increasing
vitality, but also to assess the problems of wounds and cavities. Numerous 10 years old
wounds are now presenting rots and cavities. Another important problem is the infection of
old injuries by decay fungi (Ganoderma sp. and Ustulina sp.).
In the frame of stability diagnostic, resistograph was used to precisely measure the
extension of decay. People in charge of green heritage are even more frequently asked for
objective information about future of street or park trees showing signs of decay. Generally,
these are needed for insurance or security reasons. Resistograph is one of the most commonly
used tools in establishing rapid diagnostic. In our study, diagnostic was realized for urban
authorities and it was recommended to cut 3 trees down for security reasons. After this,
trees were divided in sections and the extent of decay was observed to confirm diagnostic.
Results
Decaying tree was firstly pointed out following the VTA method (Betghe and Mattheck
1993). Three clear symptoms were:
The crown heterogeneity. In addition to the severe crown disorganization due to over
pruning, this tree showed one half of dying branches (strongly reduced foliage, small and
chlorotic leaves when present).
The progressive decay of bark at trunk base.
The presence of heart rot fruit body (Ganoderma sp) at trunk base and 120 cm. At this
level, an old bark wound (15 x 25 cm) has not been overlaid by wound wood.
Six measurements were realized with Resistograph IML-Resi F-400 at trunk base and 120
cm. Data were processed according to a method described previously (Campanella et al.
2003). Following the localization of weakened zones in the 6 directions, an estimation of
fungus extension in the trunk was presented to local authorities to traduce the risk associated
with this tree (figure 1). After tree cutting down, two major observations were made:
Extension of the discolored zone and the fungus is more important than postulated after
resistograph measurements. It is particularly true in the direction of measurements 1,2 and
3. This could be partly due to heart rot progress during 4 months. Data processing could
also be improved. Particularly, it would be important to better distinguish weakened wood
limits. Moreover, fungus activity is not directly traduced by a decrease in wood density.
149
Impact of measurements 2 and 3 are visible. Locally, where new injuries occurred, the
discolored zone is more extended (figure 2).
Figure 1: scheme of 6 measurements with resistograph
at trunk base (%: correct density; ---: weakened or
amorphous wood). Fungi fruit bodies are shown in
black, estimated decaying zone in pale gray and the
observed decaying zone in dark gray
Figure 2: discolored zone following
resistograph measurement in
transversal (above)
and longitudinal (below) section
Two wood samples were taken to describe the extension of reaction zone in the 3
dimensions. Polyphenol accumulation was also visible under microscope. This accumulation
occurs in vessels as well as parenchymatic rays. Wood chips were taken, discolored with
oxygen peroxide and treated with acidic fushine to stain fungal hyphae. No trace of fungus
was identified in the discolored zone.
Table 1 : dimensions of reaction zones
in the two samples
Dimensions of the neo-formed reaction zone are slightly different between the two
samples (table 1). Compartmentalization is more efficient in the tangential direction (e) than
in the longitudinal one (a, c), which is consistent with CODIT model (Shigo, 1989). In this
particular case, the extent of reaction zone is 4 fold increased after drilling. It must also be
mentioned that wall 4 of the CODIT model has been broken by the fungus. No wall was
detected by resistograph measurements.
Conclusion
In this particular case, resistograph was useful to complete diagnostic and demonstrate
the importance of decay. Nevertheless, intrusive measurement will have consequences on
fungus development. After 4 months, reaction zone has normally developed around the hole.
Even if fungus has not been detected in the hole, its radial growth will certainly be easier. It
is then important to know that the use of resistograph could accelerate the process of wood
decay. Moreover, the even more common practice of systematic resistograph use should be
avoided as some trees showing cavities could be remained in place if the decay was efficiently
contained. Systematic measurements realized in cities could accelerate the decay of street
150
trees. These observations confirm suspected phenomenon, but it is, as far as we know, the
first time that it is quantified in lime tree. Another well-recognized risk is the fungus transport
from trees to trees if needles arent disinfected.
Current experimentations are designed to measure the progressive development of fungi
in the hole and tree reaction after drilling (evolution of reaction zone with time and kinetic of
wound cover). These observations are realized mainly on lime trees infected by various rots.
References
Betghe, K. and C. Mattheck (1993). VTA - Visual Tree defect Assessment and related testing
methods. 9th Int. Meet. Non-Destructive Testing., Madison, USA.
Campanella, B., A. Toussaint, et al. (2003). Amélioration de linterprétation des données fournies
par le résistographe pour la gestion darbres dalignement. 1 : le cas du tilleul. Arbres et Sciences 9.
Shigo, A. (1989). Tree pruning: a worldwide photo guide for the proper pruning of trees. Durham,
A. Shigo, ed., 187p.
Toussaint, A., V. Kervyn, et al. (2002). Analyse de limpact physiologique et économique de
lélagage des arbres dalignement en port libre. Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 6(2): 99-107.
Regioni
152
153
IL VALORE STORICO, CULTURALE E PAESAGGISTICO DEGLI ALBERI
GLI ALBERI MONUMENTALI
B. Sara
Dovendo intervenire in un convegno che tratta in modo approfondito e scientifico i temi e
le problematiche degli alberi, alla presenza di molti ed illustri competenti in materia, credo sia
necessario, innanzi tutto, confessare di non sentirmi e non essere un addetto ai lavori
nonostante gli uffici del Settore di cui sono responsabile si occupino anche di Alberi
Monumentali.
Avrei delle grosse difficoltà a parlare scientificamente o quantomeno come esperto di
alberi. Io mi ritengo, innanzitutto, un utente degli alberi, uno dei tanti che dagli alberi
traggono sensazioni, emozioni, stati danimo, direi, in ultima analisi, giovamento.
Chi, daltro canto, oltre a usufruire dei benefici effetti prodotti dagli alberi, sulle qualità
fisiche dellambiente in cui vive, non prova, anche se molte volte a livello inconscio, piacevoli
sensazioni di pace, di tranquillità, di antica maestosità a seconda che si soffermi sotto un
gruppo di alberi o si trovi in un bosco ? Chi non si stupisce della loro forza vitale quando gli
capita di vedere alberi che tentano di svilupparsi e di crescere nelle situazioni più ostili, tra le
crepe di un muro o annegati in lastricati di cemento ?
Esiste poi un aspetto degli alberi che mi affascina particolarmente, probabilmente per
deformazione professionale: la loro architettura. Suscita sempre un grande stupore soffermarsi
ad ammirare larchitettura degli alberi ovviamente, a maggior ragione, se si tratta di alberi di
più antico impianto e di più rilevanti dimensioni, architettura a volte imponente, severa, a
volte leggera, elegante, che pur avendo ragioni assolutamente scientifiche raggiunge, in
molti casi perfezioni e ritmi che sembrano rigorosamente studiati per ottenere, con ricercate
simmetrie o volute casualità, risultati estetici di grande effetto. Sempre per una deformazione
professionale, dovuta ai miei trascorsi di urbanista, vorrei ricordare anche limportanza degli
alberi e delle alberate nel disegno della città.
Basti pensare a quello che rappresentano nel contesto cittadino i viali, soprattutto i viali
storici, monumentali (come spesso si trovano nelle città europee, non ultima Torino che è
caratterizzata da numerosi viali monumentali le cui alberature, per altro, sono già vincolate)
sia che essi attraversino il centro urbano o che lo perimetrino. Ben difficilmente il viale è solo
un luogo di transito veicolare.
In genere il viale è anche un luogo di passeggio, di sosta, di incontro, di socializzazione.
Un luogo di cui hanno usufruito intere generazioni, che appartiene alla memoria collettiva,
che entra a far parte della storia della città, un luogo che non solo evoca ricordi negli
abitanti ma che caratterizza la città nella memoria dei visitatori.
A questo proposito mi pare di poter affermare, dopo aver esaminato numerosi Piani
Regolatori di città di ogni dimensione, che oggi, troppo spesso ci si dimentica della insostituibile
funzione degli alberi. Al di là di insignificanti giardinetti, nati più dalla necessità di assolvere
obblighi legislativi che non da un preciso disegno urbano, ben difficilmente nei contesti urbani
di nuova edificazione o di nuovo impianto sono stati previsti o vengono previsti spazi verdi
con significative masse arboree o, tanto meno, viali che, potendosi chiamare tali e per
lunghezza e per caratteristiche, ne connotino, oggi e negli anni futuri, limmagine.
Tralasciando altre possibili riflessioni, credo che molte volte la presenza degli alberi, quali
elementi del paesaggio non solo agricolo ma anche urbano, e, in ultima analisi, la loro
insostituibile funzione per migliorare la qualità della vita sia decisamente sottovalutata;
anche perché la fretta e labitudine sovente ci impediscono di percepirne appieno e di
valorizzarne la silenziosa presenza.
È quindi necessario che si parli di alberi. Ed è in questo senso che mi sembrano
particolarmente utili le azioni che ha inteso portare avanti la Regione Piemonte ed in particolare
lAssessorato alle Politiche per la Montagna, Foreste e Beni Ambientali: sia promuovendo il
dibattito scientifico e lo scambio di esperienze, soprattutto sul tema della conservazione e
della cura del patrimonio arboreo esistente, sia producendo e distribuendo materiale divulgativo
di più immediata e generale comprensione al fine di richiamare lattenzione degli abitanti del
Piemonte ed in particolare dei ragazzi (vedasi il CD Alberi Monumentali del Piemonte) sulle
tematiche degli alberi e sugli aspetti storici e sociali che ad essi possono essere collegati.
Infatti ritengo importante, da un lato, suscitare linteresse ed educare i cittadini a
riconoscere limportanza degli alberi, incominciando proprio da quelli che, dal punto di vista
storico e/o paesaggistico, costituiscono, per così dire, gli episodi più significativi presenti sul
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territorio regionale e, daltro lato, adottare strumenti per la loro tutela affinché questultima
non venga interpretata come unimposizione calata dellalto ma divenga invece unesigenza
condivisa, frutto di un pensiero comune che identifica loggetto della tutela come un patrimonio
dellintera collettività.
In questo senso è stata emanata ed è gestita la Legge Regionale n° 50 del 3 aprile 1995
che promuove il censimento, la tutela e la valorizzazione di alberi, filari e alberate di alto
pregio naturalistico e storico del Piemonte ovvero la Legge sui, così detti, Alberi Monumentali.,
Volendo illustrare, per sommi capi, i contenuti e le azioni che la Legge in questione
intende attuare è necessario, innanzi tutto, chiarire cosa si intenda per Alberi Monumentali:
· gli alberi che per età o dimensioni possono essere considerati come esempi unici di maestosità
o longevità;
· gli alberi che hanno un preciso riferimento ad eventi o memorie rilevanti dal punto di vista
storico o culturale;
· filari e alberate di particolare pregio paesaggistico, monumentale, storico-culturale, comprese
quelle inserite nei centri urbani.
Partendo dalla giusta considerazione che uneffettiva tutela, quindi una tutela mirata e
non generica, debba necessariamente basarsi su di una puntuale conoscenza dei beni da
salvaguardare, la Legge 50/95 promuove, innanzi tutto, il censimento degli Alberi Monumentali,
invitando, in unottica di massima partecipazione, i Cittadini, gli Organi e gli Enti Pubblici o le
Associazioni a segnalare lesistenza di tutti quegli esemplari che per le loro peculiarità potrebbero
essere definiti tali.
Tale censimento è stato di fatto avviato nel settembre 1999 con linvio, a tutti i Comuni,
alle Associazioni interessate e agli Enti preposti alla tutela, di una circolare con la quale li si
invitava ad attivarsi per effettuare le segnalazioni e nello stesso tempo li si informava della
avvenuta costituzione della Commissione Tecnica per la tutela e la valorizzazione degli
alberi, filari ed alberate monumentali prevista dalla Legge in questione.
La Commissione è presieduta dallAssessore ai Beni Ambientali e Paesaggistici (attualmente
è quindi presieduta dallAssessore Roberto Vaglio) e di essa fanno parte lAssessore ai Beni
Culturali o un suo rappresentante, un rappresentante dellIPLA (Istituto per le Piante da
Legno e lAmbiente), un rappresentante della Soprintendenza ai Beni Ambientali ed Archeologici
del Piemonte, un rappresentante del Corpo Forestale dello Stato e un Rappresentante della
Facoltà di Scienze Forestali dellUniversità di Torino.
Successivamente, la Giunta Regionale ha ancora adottato la metodologia di rilevazione e
la Scheda di identificazione necessarie per predisporre il censimento, elaborate dalla
Commissione. Su tali schede vengono riportati, non solo la descrizione dellalbero o degli
alberi segnalati, le loro caratteristiche fisiche, il loro stato di salute, ma anche notizie sulla
loro storia, sul loro rapporto con lambiente e con la cultura locale.
Vorrei aprire una parentesi per sottolineare ancora questaspetto che mi pare
particolarmente significativo ovvero la volontà del legislatore e quindi dellAssessorato di
tutelare l oggetto albero non solo per il suo interesse botanico, ma anche perché parte
integrante di quel patrimonio delementi che caratterizzano un luogo dal punto di vista
paesaggistico e che ne costituiscono le radici storiche e culturali.
Le proposte di vincolo vengono quindi trasmesse alla Commissione Alberi Monumentali che
le valuta e decide con parere obbligatorio e vincolante quali, tra gli alberi segnalati, abbiano
le caratteristiche per essere inclusi nellelenco degli alberi monumentali e, come tali, essere
oggetto di vincolo.
A questo punto inizia liter procedurale che vede impegnati gli Uffici del Settore Beni
Ambientali (convocazione dei Sindaci dei comuni interessati, atti di deposito, pubblicazione e
pubblicizzazione, raccolta osservazioni, ecc) che si concludono con la formalizzazione del
vincolo da parte della Giunta Regionale, iter procedurale che come tutte quelli preordinati
allimposizione di vincoli, non è né breve né facile e che si conclude con le notifiche ai
possessori e laffissione del provvedimento allAlbo Pretorio.
Altra particolarità importante della Legge è che prevede che vengano erogati contributi
per la cura ordinaria e straordinaria degli alberi considerati monumentali e che la Giunta
Regionale possa promuovere iniziative per la loro valorizzazione. A tal fine la Giunta Regionale,
in ogni esercizio finanziario, dispone lassegnazione al Settore Beni Ambientali di un budget di
spesa per la promozione, il finanziamento degli interventi sostitutivi e per la valorizzazione
dei siti arborei. Questo Budget si aggira mediamente, su base annua e a seconda delle
effettive disponibilità , intorno ai 250/500.000 Euro.
A questo proposito ritengo utile segnalare che la Regione Piemonte ha ritenuto di intervenire
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direttamente e con propri mezzi economici e professionali nellesecuzione degli interventi di
cura delle alberature sollevando quindi i comuni o i privati da qualsiasi tipo di defatigante
procedura burocratica nellassegnazione degli incarichi e di responsabilità nella fase operativa
potendo la Regione stessa garantire lalta professionalità degli operatori tramite laffidamento
degli incarichi allIstituto per le Piante da Legno e lAmbiente e allUniversità sulla base di un
programma annuale dintervento.
Il 30.12.2002 si è finalmente giunti allapprovazione del primo elenco degli alberi monumentali
costituito da cinque esemplari. Attualmente sono in fase di completamento le procedure per
il riconoscimento di altri diciotto alberi monumentali mentre per cinque alberi è stato affidato
un incarico al corpo Forestale dello Stato per lacquisizione della documentazione tecnica
necessaria per iniziare le procedure di vincolo. Vorrei citarne almeno alcuni per dare unidea
di come tali alberi siano esemplari che suscitano stupore per le loro caratteristiche, siano di
antica o antichissima origine e abbiano, come si diceva prima, attraversato intere generazioni
entrando, a pieno titolo, nella storia e nelle leggende dei paesi in cui sono collocati:
- il Frassino di Moncenisio, posto sulla Piazza Parrocchiale del paese, la cui età è valutata
in circa 500 anni, simbolo della montagna e dalla sua storia;.
- il Tiglio di Macugnaga che potrebbe avere addirittura dai 685 ai 887 anni se, come vuole
la tradizione, è coevo della vicina chiesa. Sotto la sua chioma si dice si radunasse un tempo
il consiglio comunale;
- il Platano di Napoleone posto lungo la strada che da Alessandria portava a Marengo e
sotto il quale, si dice, si sia soffermato Napoleone nel giugno del 1800 dopo la famosa
battaglia di Marengo;
- limponente Cedro di Montalenghe, di circa 13 mt. di circonferenza e 36 mt. di altezza, la
cui età si aggira intorno ai 350 anni e che risulta essere uno dei più grandi e vecchi cedri
dItalia.(vincolo in itinere)
- il bellissimo Tasso di Cavandonesituato nellomonima frazione di Pallanza, di 3,6 mt. di
circonferenza e 26 mt. di altezza, che con i suoi 450 anni e il tronco contorto e possente è
una vera opera darte della natura.
Da questi pochi esempi, è evidente quindi linteresse scientifico, storico e culturale che
gli alberi monumentali suscitano. Ma occorre dire che a questi interessi se ne possa aggiungere
un altro: quello turistico. Questultimo, se opportunamente incentivato e sfruttato potrebbe
costituire per alcuni dei Comuni interessati un valore aggiunto non trascurabile, sullesempio,
per altro, di quanto accade in altre nazioni a noi vicine nelle quali episodi anche meno
significativi vengono regolarmente segnalati ed enfatizzati su tutte le guide turistiche.
Ritornando un attimo al tema più generale dellutilizzo degli alberi e delle alberature, mi sia
concesso concludere con una brevissima annotazione connessa al mio attuale incarico nel
Settore Gestione Beni Ambientali, Settore che si occupa di verificare il corretto inserimento
ambientale degli interventi che ricadono in ambiti vincolati e nei cui uffici quindi transitano
quotidianamente progetti di ogni genere.
Gli alberi, in molti casi, possono avere unimportanza assolutamente non trascurabile nella
progettazione; gli alberi, se attentamente progettati sia per posizionamento che per tipo,
si integrano nel progetto stesso, lo completano, lo valorizzano e, per così dire, lo arredano.
Purtroppo, questa grossa potenzialità non sempre è percepita correttamente dai progettisti.
Non ultimo, gli alberi sono una potente medicina per larchitettura quando larchitettura è
malata. Laddove il prodotto architettonico è discutibile, né esistono ragionevoli speranze di
migliorarlo, spesso non rimane che unultima soluzione: prescrivere la messa a dimora di
gruppi o filari di alberi che con la loro naturale bellezza riescono, quasi a stendere un velo sui
peccati dellarchitettura.
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1° ELENCO degli ALBERI MONUMENTALI (D.G.R. n. 37 8157 del 30.12.2002)
ALBERI MONUMENTALI
con procedimento in corso per lapposizione del vincolo (fase di pubblicazione)
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158
ALBERI MONUMENTALI
con procedimento avviato (fase di ulteriore accertamento delle caratteristiche)
Consiglio regionale
del Piemonte
Legge regionale 3 aprile 1995, n. 50.
Tutela e valorizzazione degli alberi monumentali, di alto pregio naturalistico e
storico, del Piemonte.
(B.U. 12 aprile 1995, n. 15)
Art. 1.
(Finalita)
1. La Regione Piemonte individua, in attuazione dellarticolo 5 dello Statuto gli alberi, i filari e
le alberate monumentali, di interesse paesaggistico-ambientale e storico-culturale presenti
sul territorio regionale e ne promuove la tutela e la valorizzazione.
2. Sono inclusi nella competenza della presente legge anche gli alberi, i filari e le alberate gia
sottoposti a vincolo di tutela da parte della legislazione regionale e nazionale.
Art. 2.
(Definizione)
1. Ai fini della presente legge sono considerati alberi, filari ed alberate monumentali di interesse
storico-culturale e ambientale-paesaggistico:
a) alberi isolati o facenti parte di formazioni boschive naturali o artificiali che per eta o
dimensioni possono essere considerati come rari esempi di maestosita o longevita;
b) alberi che hanno un preciso riferimento ad eventi o memorie rilevanti dal punto di vista
storico o culturale;
c) filari ed alberate di particolare pregio paesaggistico, monumentale, storico-culturale, ivi
comprese quelle inserite nei centri urbani.
Art. 3.
(Censimento)
1.La Giunta Regionale, entro sessanta giorni dalla approvazione della presente legge adotta,
con propria deliberazione, la metodologia di rilevazione ed una scheda di identificazione
allo scopo di predisporre il censimento degli alberi, dei filari e delle alberate monumentali di
interesse paesaggistico-ambientale e storico-culturale.
2. Il censimento deve raccogliere in particolare dati ed informazioni relativi a:
a) localizzazione;
b) proprieta;
c) caratteristiche floristiche e dendrometriche;
d) descrizione delle caratteristiche monumentali o storico-culturali o paesaggistico-ambientali
che motivano linclusione nel censimento;
e) condizioni fitosanitarie, vulnerabilita, rischi ed eventuali interventi necessari per garantire
la conservazione.
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3. Singoli cittadini, Organi ed Enti pubblici o Associazioni possono segnalare alla Giunta
Regionale lesistenza di alberi, filari o alberate aventi le caratteristiche descritte allarticolo
2.
4. La Giunta Regionale sentito il parere obbligatorio e vincolante della Commissione Tecnica
di cui allarticolo 4, predispone ed aggiorna periodicamente lElenco degli alberi, dei filari e
delle alberate monumentali, di interesse paesaggistico-ambientale e storico-culturale della
Regione Piemonte, che viene pubblicato integralmente sul Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione
Piemonte.
5. Gli alberi, i filari e le alberate inseriti in tale elenco devono essere individuati negli
strumenti urbanistici comunali ai sensi dellarticolo 24 della legge regionale 5 dicembre
1977, n. 56.
6. Linclusione nellelenco di cui al comma 4 comporta, ai sensi dellarticolo 9 della L.R. 56/
1977 listituzione del vincolo di cui alla legge 29 giugno 1939, n. 1497 sulla protezione delle
bellezze naturali e panoramiche.
Art. 4.
(Commissione tecnica per la tutela e la valorizzazione degli alberi,
filari ed alberate monumentali)
1. È istituita la Commissione Tecnica per la tutela e la valorizzazione degli alberi, filari ed
alberate monumentali.
2. La Commissione e composta da:
a) Assessore ai Beni ambientali e paesaggistici o suo delegato con funzioni di Presidente;
b) Assessore ai Beni culturali o suo delegato;
c) rappresentante dellIstituto per le piante da legno e lambiente (I.P.L.A.);
d) rappresentante della Soprintendenza per i beni ambientali ed architettonici del Piemonte;
e) rappresentante del Corpo Forestale dello Stato;
f) rappresentante della Facolta di Scienze Forestali dellUniversita di Torino.
Svolge le funzione di Segretario della Commissione un funzionario del Settore Beni ambientali
e paesaggistici della Regione nominato con decreto del Presidente della Giunta Regionale.
La Commissione e validamente costituita quando sia stata nominata la maggioranza dei
suoi membri.
3. La Commissione formula parere obbligatorio e vincolante alla Giunta Regionale in merito
alla inclusione nellelenco di cui allarticolo 3 degli alberi, filari e alberate di cui e stata
predisposta la scheda di identificazione.
4.La Commissione esprime inoltre parere in ordine ai finanziamenti per gli interventi di cura
ordinaria e straordinaria, nonche di valorizzazione di cui agli articoli 5 e 6.
5. La Commissione esprime altresi parere obbligatorio e vincolante sulleventuale abbattimento
degli alberi, filari e alberate inclusi nellElenco di cui allarticolo 3.
6.La Commissione si riunisce su convocazione del Presidente, su richiesta dellAssessore dei
Beni ambientali e paesaggistici o dellAssessore ai Beni culturali, o su richiesta di almeno un
terzo dei suoi componenti.
7.Le riunioni della Commissione sono valide con la partecipazione della maggioranza assoluta
dei componenti.
8.La Commissione dura in carica cinque anni e scade con lo scioglimento del Consiglio
Regionale. Essa svolge la sua attivita finche non siano insediati i nuovi componenti.
9.Ai membri della Commissione spettano per ogni riunione i gettoni di presenza e le eventuali
indennita di rimborso spese previste dalla vigenti leggi regionali in materia.
Art. 5.
(Interventi di cura ordinaria e straordinaria)
1.La Regione Piemonte eroga contributi per la cura ordinaria e straordinaria degli alberi,
dei filari e delle alberate inclusi nellelenco di cui allarticolo 3.
2.Gli interventi di cui al comma 1 sono eseguiti dai proprietari o dagli aventi diritto, su
richiesta propria o della Regione Piemonte, a seguito di parere obbligatorio e vincolante di un
esperto nominato dalla Giunta Regionale.
160
Art. 6.
(Interventi di valorizzazione)
1. La Giunta Regionale, anche su istanza dei proprietari o degli aventi diritto, puo promuovere
iniziative di valorizzazione degli alberi, filari ed alberate inclusi nellelenco di cui allarticolo
3, al fine di divulgarne la conoscenza ed il significato della tutela, nonche per migliorare il
contesto territoriale ed ambientale circostante.
Art. 7.
(Norme finanziarie)
1. Agli oneri necessari per il conseguimento dei fini di cui alla presente legge, valutati in lire
20 milioni per lanno finanziario 1995, si provvede mediante una riduzione di pari ammontare,
in termini di competenza e di cassa, del capitolo 15190 dello stato di previsione della
spesa per lanno finanziario 1995 e mediante listituzione, nello stato di previsione medesimo,
di apposito capitolo con la denominazione Spese per la tutela e la valorizzazione degli
alberi, dei filari e delle alberate di interesse monumentale e con lo stanziamento di
competenza e di cassa di lire 20 milioni.
2. Il Presidente della Giunta Regionale e autorizzato ad apportare, con proprio decreto, le
occorrenti variazioni di bilancio.
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IL CENSIMENTO E LA GESTIONE DEGLI ALBERI MONUMENTALI: LESPERIENZA DELLA
REGIONE LOMBARDIA
P. Lenna, G. Galasso
Regione Lombardia - Direzione Generale Qualità dellAmbiente - Struttura Azioni per la Gestione delle
Aree Protette e la Difesa della Biodiversità - Milano (MI) Italia
Premessa
La Lombardia, regione densamente popolata e ad alto indice di sviluppo, tra le prime in
Europa per tasso di occupazione e reddito, conserva ancora gioielli naturali di altissimo
valore nonché scorci di paesaggio legati al passato e alle tradizioni delluomo. Un patrimonio
che, ventanni fa, la Regione Lombardia ha deciso di salvaguardare attraverso listituzione
dei Parchi regionali, delle Riserve e Monumenti naturali e dei Parchi locali di interesse
sovracomunale. Un sistema di pianificazione territoriale che ha consentito di gestire con
forme differenziate di tutela più del 20% del territorio e che, oggi, costituisce la solida base
della rete ecologica lombarda, inserita nella più vasta strategia di conservazione della natura
in Europa.
La Regione Lombardia è stata la prima in Italia a istituire un Assessorato allEcologia,
nellormai lontano 1970, e anche con la sua attività legislativa in materia di parchi e riserve
ha svolto un ruolo pionieristico. Già nel 1973, con la legge regionale n. 58 ha posto sotto
tutela biotopi e geotopi di interesse naturalistico e scientifico e ha dato lavvio alla istituzione
dei primi parchi (Ticino, 1974; Nord Milano, 1975; Groane, 1976 e Colli di Bergamo (1977).
Dieci anni più tardi è stata approvata la legge regionale 86/1983 Piano regionale delle aree
regionali protette. Norme per listituzione e la gestione delle riserve, dei parchi e dei monumenti
naturali nonché delle aree di particolare rilevanza naturale e ambientale, ben 8 anni in
anticipo sulla normativa nazionale (l. 394/1991). Da alcuni anni il sistema lombardo delle aree
protette è ancora più articolato. La Regione Lombardia ha infatti avviato nuove forme di
tutela del territorio in base alle ultime direttive comunitarie in materia di habitat e specie. Al
31 dicembre 2003 il sistema risultava così articolato:
· 1 Parco nazionale;
· 21 Parchi regionali;
· 4 Parchi naturali;
· 60 Riserve naturali;
· 27 Monumenti naturali;
· 45 Parchi locali di interesse sovracomunale;
· 176 Siti di importanza comunitaria (di cui 85 già approvati dalla Comunità Europea);
· 8 Zone di Protezione Speciale.
Le azioni di tutela riguardano però non solo le aree protette ma lintero territorio regionale,
grazie al coinvolgimento di tutti i soggetti istituzionalmente preposti (Comuni, Comunità
montane e Province) e alla sempre maggior sensibilità e disponibilità del mondo accademico,
delle associazioni e dei privati. Un esempio significativo di questa collaborazione è proprio il
censimento degli alberi monumentali. La Lombardia è forse la Regione italiana che ospita la
più ampia varietà di specie arboree, grazie alla diversità di ambienti che ne caratterizzano il
territorio, dai grandi bacini lacustri insubrici alle montagne alpine e appenniniche, fino alle
campagne planiziali con gli esemplari sopravvissuti alla meccanizzazione agricola. Linventario
e la tutela delle piante più meritevoli assume, inoltre, un ulteriore significato più prettamente
scientifico, rendendo possibile lo studio di questi alberi eccezionali nel tentativo di scoprire
se devono la loro lunga vita, oltre al caso che li ha preservati, anche al loro patrimonio
genetico, che può averli resi più idonei di altri a sopportare e superare le difficoltà, le
malattie e i danni che gli anni portano con sé.
La Regione Lombardia, attraverso la collaborazione delle Province, ha avviato sin dal
1989 il censimento degli alberi monumentali. Da allora è iniziato un importante lavoro di
stimolo e di coordinamento e, nel corso di diverse riunioni, è stato predisposto un protocollo
per attribuire agli esemplari arborei la qualifica di monumentale, raccogliere i numerosi dati
e archiviarli. Il percorso di lavoro via via condiviso è stato il seguente:
1. rilevamento 1a fase: raccolta di segnalazioni da parte di volontari,
2. rilevamento 2a fase: verifica da parte di tecnici,
3. predisposizione di uno schedario provinciale,
4. predisposizione di un data-base possibilmente collegato a un gis,
5. pubblicazione di uno stralcio dei risultati,
6. tutela, allinterno del Piano territoriale di coordinamento provinciale (PTCP), degli alberi
monumentali individuati
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Una fase successiva potrebbe prevedere lo stanziamento di fondi per la manutenzione straordinaria
degli alberi monumentali stessi: potature, interventi di dendrochirurgia ecc.
Numerose Province hanno iniziato celermente il lavoro di censimento: alcune lo hanno già concluso e
hanno pubblicato i loro dati; altre hanno già inserito gli alberi monumentali individuati allinterno del loro
PTCP; altre ancora hanno appena avviato lattività. La prima Provincia a intraprendere la fase esecutiva
dellindagine è stata Pavia. Nel contempo è stato organizzato un seminario il 18 novembre 1997 a Milano e
sono state realizzate due pubblicazioni, una del 1999 relativa alla sola Provincia di Sondrio e una del 2000
relativa alle Province di Brescia, Milano, Pavia e Sondrio:
AAVV., 1999 - Alberi monumentali della Provincia di Sondrio. 1o censimento. Provincia di Sondrio, Azienda
Regionale delle Foreste, Sondrio.
AAVV., 2000 - Gli alberi monumentali della Lombardia. Regione Lombardia, Il Verde Editoriale, Milano.
Scheda di rilevamento e informazioni raccolte
Per lesecuzione del censimento è stata predisposta una scheda informatizzata che permette di rendere
omogenei e confrontabili i dati raccolti nei diversi contesti territoriali e amministrativi; gli stessi dati potranno
quindi essere elaborati e resi su cartografia GIS. La scheda, realizzata in Microsoft-Acceess e aggiornata
nel corso del 2003, permette di descrivere ciascun albero, filare o gruppo di alberi attraverso la raccolta di
informazioni su: localizzazione, tassonomia, aspetti di monumentalità, caratteristiche morfologiche e
biologiche, condizioni vegetative e sanitarie.
Tale scheda è stata redatta per essere utilizzata sia nella fase di prima indagine territoriale, durante la
quale il personale incaricato si limiterà a compilare solo le voci per le quali è in grado di fornire uninformazione
esauriente, sia nella successiva fase di verifica specialistica. La scheda è articolata nelle seguenti sezioni
tematiche.
Numero della scheda, data del rilievo, estremi del rilevatore
Localizzazione geografica
Riporta lambito territoriale del rilievo, ovvero la Provincia, il Comune, la località e, se disponibile, lindirizzo;
ove necessario viene descritto brevemente lambito in oggetto e il percorso necessario per raggiungere
lesemplare, facendo riferimento a elementi di facile individuazione sul tracciato (cartelli indicatori, case
isolate, bar ecc.). Laddove reperibili sono riportati anche i dati catastali (numero di foglio e di mappale),
soprattutto se ci si trova in ambito privato. Sono infine indicati i dati relativi allesposizione, alla pendenza
media e al tipo di ambiente (urbano o extraurbano).
Tassonomia e carattere del rilevamento
Oltre al nome scientifico è indicato se si tratta di un esemplare singolo, di un filare o di un gruppo di
alberi. Nel caso di raggruppamento viene specificato il numero degli individui.
Aspetti di monumentalità
Un esemplare arboreo può essere definito monumentale in base a diversi criteri:
· monumentalità architettonica: esemplari legati a edifici di elevato valore storico-culturale;
· monumentalità paesaggistica: piante collocate in un contesto territoriale di elevato valore estetico o la cui
presenza caratterizza un certo luogo;
· monumentalità storico-culturale: limportanza della pianta è legata a particolari eventi della storia locale,
tradizioni, leggende ecc.;
· monumentalità legata alla forma;
· monumentalità legata alla rarità botanica: si riferisce a specie non tipiche dellambiente in cui crescono
(es. piante ben sviluppate al di fuori dalla loro tipica fascia bioclimatica) e poco rappresentate numericamente;
· monumentalità dimensionale: legata alla circonferenza.
Laspetto di monumentalità dimensionale viene selezionato direttamente dal programma, che tiene
conto dei valori di circonferenza inseriti nella descrizione fisionomica. Inizialmente i limiti dimensionali
erano correlati alla zona bioclimatica di Gams; tuttavia ci si è presto svincolati da questa e attualmente
sono stabiliti i seguenti limiti regionali, anche se ogni Provincia può discostarsene per meglio adattarli alla
sua realtà locale:
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Descrizione fisionomica
In questo parte della scheda sono descritte le caratteristiche morfologiche e biologiche,
quali laltezza, la circonferenza del fusto, il diametro della chioma e il portamento:
· tronco: è indicato se è monocormico o policormico;
· portamento: arboreo, arbustivo, prostrato o rampicante;
· n° fusti: è indicato il numero dei fusti di un individuo policormico;
· circonferenza: è misurata in centimetri a petto duomo (a 130 cm dal suolo); in caso di
albero policormico si riporta la somma delle circonferenze di tutti i fusti;
· altezza: è espressa in metri, valutata o misurata; se lalbero è policormico si riporta
laltezza del fusto più elevato;
· età: età stimata o misurata, indicata mediante un intervallo di anni: <100, 100-200, >200;
· diametro della chioma: è indicato il diametro medio della chioma, espresso in metri;
· forma della chioma: è indicato se espansa, pendula, colonnare o piramidale;
· carattere della chioma: è indicato se obbligata o naturaliforme; questo dato fornisce una
prima indicazione in merito ad eventuali interventi quali ad esempio potature;
· altezza del 1° palco: è indicata laltezza da terra, espressa in metri.
Quadro vegetativo
Il quadro vegetativo fornisce una prima valutazione generale dello stato di salute
dellesemplare arboreo:
· vigore vegetativo: buono, medio o scarso;
· seccume: assente, incipiente o diffuso;
· microfillia: assente, significativa o evidente; questo carattere si riferisce a foglie dalle
dimensioni più ridotte rispetto al normale sviluppo, sintomo da imputare allazione di diversi
agenti biotici e abiotici quali stress idrico, carenze nutrizionali, attacchi fungini, inquinamento
ecc.;
· riscoppi: assenti o presenti; trattasi di rami provenienti da gemme dormienti, che si sviluppano
a seguito dellazione di diversi fattori quali stress idrici, funghi, virus ecc.
Quadro strutturale
Questa sezione è finalizzata a fornire indicazioni generali circa la stabilità meccanica e
considera le seguenti regioni anatomiche:
· aspetto dellapparato radicale: buono, medio o scarso;
· aspetto del colletto: buono, medio o scarso;
· aspetto del fusto: buono, medio o scarso;
· aspetto della chioma: buono, medio o scarso;
· aspetto delle branche: buono, medio o scarso;
· note: breve descrizione dei sintomi rilevati.
Quadro fitosanitario
Viene indicata leventuale presenza di infestazioni, infezioni o carpofori, specificando
lagente patogeno e la collocazione anatomica:
· infestazioni: riferite a parassiti quali insetti e acari;
· infezioni: riferite a malattie fungine, virali e batteriche;
· carpofori: presenza di corpi fruttiferi fungini appartenenti a specie dei generi Armillaria,
Ganoderma, Phellinus, Phomes, Rosellinia ecc.
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Interventi effettuati
Si tratta di informazioni aggiuntive relative alla storia dellesemplare monumentale, segnalate
laddove siano evidenti o confermate da informazioni attendibili; se possibile sono specificate
la tipologia e la localizzazione:
· potatura: di rimonda, di diradamento, di contenimento ecc.; effettuata su branche primarie
ecc.
· consolidamenti: effettuati con lutilizzo di cavi in acciaio passanti o altro; localizzati a livello
di branche primarie ecc.;
· ancoraggi: cavi in acciaio, funi ecc.;
· altro: altri dati, tra i quali concimazione, trattamenti antiparassitari ecc.;
· note: sono indicate le eventuali operazioni future consigliate.
Informazioni sul terreno
È indicato il tipo di copertura e il grado di costipamento del suolo ai piedi della pianta:
· terreno: nudo, inerbito, cespugliato, pavimentato o impermeabilizzato;
· caratteristiche: debolmente compattato, mediamente compattato, fortemente compattato;
· altro.
Quadro minacce
Viene segnalato quale elemento di disturbo può minacciarne lintegrità:
· errata gestione: presenza di grossi tagli di potatura, irrigazioni eccessive o inesistenti,
carenze nutrizionali ecc.;
· urbanizzazione: presenza di cantieri di lavoro in corso che possono pregiudicare la pianta
(scavi per servizi, marciapiedi, parcheggio dauto in prossimità dellesemplare) ecc.;
· instabilità del terreno: presenza di cedimenti del versante o aree a franosità diffusa che
possono mettere in pericolo la stabilità dellesemplare;
· fuoco: esemplari ubicati in zone soggette a incendio;
· rischio di taglio: esemplari ubicati in aree di sviluppo urbanistico che rischiano labbattimento;
· altro.
Quadro vincoli
Sono segnalati i vincoli esistenti in base alla normativa vigente: vincolo idrogeologico,
vincolo ex l. 490/1999.
Quadro tutela
È indicato se lalbero censito è stato inserito ufficialmente: a) nellelenco degli alberi
monumentali, riportando gli estremi del relativo atto amministrativo provinciale, b) nel Piano
Territoriale di Coordinamento Provinciale e/o se è c) Monumento naturale ai sensi della l.r.
86/1983.
Attribuzione di punteggi agli alberi monumentali e ripartizione in classi di merito
Uno degli scopi del censimento degli alberi monumentali è quello di poterli tutelare
attivamente, anche mediante lo stanziamento di fondi per la loro manutenzione straordinaria.
Per fare questo è però necessario attribuire a ogni albero un punteggio che permetta di
stilare, a livello provinciale, delle graduatorie di priorità. La Provincia di Sondrio è stata la
prima a proporre un sistema che giunge a distribuire gli alberi in tre categorie: I° élite, I° e
II°. Alla fine del 2003 la Provincia di Como, nel corso della revisione della scheda di rilevamento,
ha proposto un nuovo sistema che è stato condiviso da tutte le Province; esso, lavorando
attraverso lapplicazione di tre filtri successivi, ripartisce gli alberi in tre classi di merito
(classe 1, classe 2, classe 3).
Il primo filtro tiene conto dei criteri di monumentalità. A ogni albero viene attribuito
automaticamente un punteggio in base ai parametri Aspetti di monumentalità inseriti nella
scheda. La monumentalità dimensionale contribuisce molto meno degli altri aspetti nella
formazione del punteggio; la misura della circonferenza sarà determinante durante lapplicazione
del secondo filtro. Gli esemplari censiti vengono così ripartiti in tre classi provvisorie. Le
classi 2 e 3 provvisorie passano al secondo filtro, mentre quelle della classe provvisoria 1
saltano direttamente al terzo e ultimo filtro.
Il secondo filtro agisce sui parametri dimensionali, cioè sulla circonferenza, e, come
detto, agisce soltanto sulle classi provvisorie 2 e 3. Per ogni esemplare la selezione si base
sul confronto tra la sua circonferenza, il limite minimo di soglia per quella specie (vedi
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Aspetti di monumentalità) e il valore medio per quella specie (calcolato automaticamente e
solo per i valori rilevati oltre la soglia minima).
Il terzo filtro si basa sul punteggio attribuito automaticamente ai singoli esemplari in base
al Quadro vegetativo, al Quadro strutturale e al Quadro fitosanitario della scheda di
rilevamento. Come detto, il sistema tiene conto della media delle circonferenze. Di conseguenza
ogni volta che vengono caricate nuove schede i valori e i relativi punteggi possono variare.
Pertanto il procedimento di attribuzione dei punteggi e la successiva ripartizione in classi di
merito, entrambi automatizzati, dovranno avvenire alla fine del censimento.
Lo schema seguente illustra il procedimento logico adottato dai tre filtri successivi.
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Svolgimento del Censimento e risultati
Come detto, la Regione Lombardia a partire dal 1989 ha promosso e contribuito, con
proprie risorse tecniche e finanziarie, al censimento di tali monumenti vegetali, partendo
dalle Province di Pavia, Milano, Brescia e Sondrio, caratterizzate da condizioni socio-ambientali
diverse tra loro e sufficientemente rappresentative delleterogeneità territoriale regionale. Ai
censimenti hanno collaborato attivamente i Comuni, il Corpo forestale dello stato, lEnte
regionale per i servizi agricoli e forestali (ERSAF), le scuole, le associazioni ambientaliste e i
privati, sia in quanto proprietari di alberi notevoli sia in qualità di studiosi e cultori della
materia. Le Guardie ecologiche volontarie (GEV), in particolare, grazie alla loro radicata
conoscenza del territorio, hanno rappresentato un riferimento insostituibile nella rilevazione
di un grande numero di esemplari altrimenti sconosciuti.
Provincia di Pavia
Pavia è stata, come detto, la prima Provincia lombarda a iniziare nel 1989 il censimento
degli alberi monumentali, affidando lincarico a professionisti esterni allAmministrazione.
Trattandosi della prima esperienza attuata a livello regionale, lo studio è stato seguito in
tutte le sue fasi da un gruppo di lavoro interdisciplinare formato da studiosi e professionisti di
diversa estrazione (botanici, agronomi, forestali, architetti, paesaggisti e storici). Tale gruppo
di lavoro, attraverso lesame delle esperienze già maturate in altre realtà italiane ed estere,
ha elaborato delle linee guida sia per lorganizzazione della fase dei rilievi di campagna sia per
la successiva disamina dei dati raccolti.
Dallindagine territoriale sono state escluse tutte le aree già tutelate comprese nel Parco
del Ticino e nelle Riserve naturali. La fase di prima raccolta delle segnalazioni e di verifica di
quelle trasmesse da parte di alcuni Comuni è stata portata a termine dalle Guardie ecologiche
volontarie, che sono state coinvolte in forza della loro passione per la natura e la specifica
conoscenza dei luoghi; un breve corso mirato ha consentito alle GEV di acquisire le informazioni
di base indispensabili alla conduzione dellindagine sul territorio. Le segnalazioni, poi, sono
state vagliate da tecnici esperti (agronomi, forestali e botanici) sulla base delle informazioni
riportate sulle schede di campagna e della consultazione del materiale fotografico allegato; i
rilievi che hanno superato la prima fase di selezione a tavolino sono stati sottoposti a una
successiva verifica sul posto. In seguito, i risultati della verifica sono stati esaminati mediante
lapplicazione di un criterio di analisi elaborato ad hoc dal gruppo di lavoro.
Trattandosi dellesperienza guida per la Lombardia, i criteri di riferimento per individuare le
piante di interesse monumentale, derivati dalla letteratura e da esperienze condotte fuori
regione hanno determinato una selezione piuttosto marcata delle piante già nella fase di
prima raccolta delle segnalazioni. Pertanto, per la Provincia di Pavia il numero complessivo
dei rilievi risulta, mediamente, inferiore a quello registrato nelle successive esperienze dove
sono stati usati, viceversa, nuovi criteri derivati proprio da questo primo censimento.
In un secondo momento, terminato nel 2002, il censimento è stato riverificato e integrato
coi dati delle aree protette. Il lavoro è stato commissionato a professionisti esterni
allAmministrazione, che si sono avvalsi della collaborazione del Corpo forestale dello stato.
Attualmente gli alberi monumentali sono stati inseriti allinterno del PTCP con una norma che
ne salvaguarda la conservazione, fatta salva la possibilità di abbattimenti per problemi di
stabilità o fitopatologici.
Risultati:
segnalazioni raccolte nella prima fase 247,
segnalazioni sottoposte a verifica
224,
alberi monumentali
31 (esemplari singoli: 26; gruppi: 4; filari: 1),
generi botanici più rappresentati
Quercus (5), Castanea (4), Populuss (4).
Provincia di Milano
La Provincia di Milano ha avviato il censimento nel 1992, organizzando un gruppo di lavoro
interdisciplinare composto da tecnici interni allAmministrazione. Anche in questo caso sono
state escluse le aree protette.
Le GEV non hanno potuto completare la prima fase del censimento a causa di alcuni
problemi organizzativi; pertanto la Provincia ha provveduto a conferire a un professionista
esterno lincarico di portare a termine la fase di rilievo di campagna e la verifica delle
segnalazioni inviate da parte di alcuni Comuni. Sia durante lesecuzione dei rilievi sia nella
successiva analisi delle informazioni sono stati sostanzialmente utilizzati i criteri messi a
punto nel corso del precedente studio della Provincia di Pavia; ciò ha consentito di sottoporre
la metodologia a un valido test di verifica che ha permesso di affinare lapproccio tecnico-
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metodologico, adattandolo alla realtà provinciale del milanese. Una volta elaborato lelenco
degli alberi monumentali, la Provincia ha avviato, nel 1997, una fase di sperimentazione
invitando i Comuni a richiedere, dietro presentazione di un progetto, lerogazione di un
finanziamento per sottoporre alcuni esemplari a interventi di tutela e manutenzione
straordinaria; in totale sono stati impegnati e spesi circa 35.000.000 £ per 17 alberi.
Attualmente gli alberi monumentali sono stati inseriti allinterno del PTCP (approvato con
delibera di consiglio provinciale 14 ottobre 2003, n. 55, pubblicata sul B.U.R.Lombardia serie
inserzioni, n. 45 del 5 novembre 2003) con una norma (art. 65) che ne salvaguarda la
conservazione, fatta salva la possibilità di abbattimenti per problemi di stabilità o fitopatologici.
Dal punto di vista della cartografia del PTCP, in scala 1:25.000, la localizzazione è di tipo
ideogrammatico e quindi indicativa. In ogni caso, il Comune può chiedere alla Provincia la
localizzazione puntuale, disponibile in scala 1: 10.000.
Risultati del censimento:
segnalazioni raccolte nella prima fase
alberi monumentali
1.103,
223,
Quercus (352), Celtis (164), Platanus (126).
Tra il completamento del censimento e lapprovazione del PTCP, lelenco degli alberi
monumentali è stato aggiornato, giungendo a 233 segnalazioni corrispondenti a 1399 esemplari:
esemplari singoli
filari monospecifici
gruppi monospecifici
gruppi plurispecifici
146
22
60
5
corrispondenti a 146 esemplari,
corrispondenti a 27 esemplari.
Provincia di Brescia
La terza Provincia che ha intrapreso il censimento degli alberi monumentali è stata Brescia
che, nel 1994, ha incaricato professionisti esterni allAmministrazione. Anche in questo caso
sono state escluse le aree protette. Data la complessità territoriale che caratterizza il
bresciano è stato fondamentale il coinvolgimento delle GEV, la cui motivazione è stata
alimentata anche grazie alla organizzazione di un breve corso formativo, utile sia per delineare
un quadro generale degli obiettivi sia per fornire le adeguate precisazioni operative per una
corretta conduzione delle indagini di campagna. Inoltre, ciascun gruppo di Guardie ecologiche
volontarie è stato puntualmente seguito da un responsabile che ha operato in stretto contatto
coi coordinatori provinciali del progetto e coi professionisti incaricati. Nellambito
dellorganizzazione del lavoro si è tenuto conto di quanto emerso dalle due precedenti
esperienze, sia per lo svolgimento dellindagine di campagna sia per la successiva fase di
verifica e analisi delle informazioni raccolte. Con la Provincia di Brescia, tra laltro, il censimento
si è esteso ad altre unità di paesaggio non interessate dagli studi precedenti (aree lacustri,
prealpine e alpine), la qual cosa ha reso possibile lintegrazione degli elenchi degli alberi
censiti con le specie tipiche della flora mediterranea e delle quote altimetriche più elevate.
Risultati:
alberi monumentali
608,
339,
Fagus (177), Quercus (135), Taxodium (103).
Provincia di Sondrio
La Provincia di Sondrio ha dato il via al censimento nel 1997, avvalendosi della collaborazione
dellAzienda regionale delle foreste (ARF, oggi ERSAF). Lindagine ha interessato, a differenza
delle altre province, tutto il territorio coinvolgendo anche le aree protette.
Sullesempio della linea operativa seguita nelle altre province lombarde, il censimento si è
articolato in una fase iniziale di campagna e nella successiva verifica delle segnalazioni.
Innanzitutto le schede di segnalazione sono state distribuite a tutti i Comuni e agli operatori
di vari Enti e associazioni che si occupano a vario titolo di ambiente (es. GEV, Enti gestori dei
Parchi, CAI, Legambiente e WWF), opportunamente informati e addestrati. Altre schede
sono state distribuite anche a privati cittadini tramite comunicati stampa diffusi per mezzo di
giornali, radio e televisione. Le segnalazioni acquisite durante la fase di rilievo sono state
sottoposte a un primo riscontro comparativo che ha condotto a scartare tutti gli esemplari
che non raggiungevano una determinata soglia minima, calcolata applicando i risultati ottenuti
nelle altre province e modulata attraverso valutazioni specifiche legate al particolare ambito
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territoriale. La verifica specialistica e la successiva analisi statistica dei risultati sono state
condotte da personale tecnico specializzato. La particolare configurazione orografica della
provincia ha permesso di arricchire ulteriormente le informazioni disponibili a livello regionale,
integrando lelenco delle specie censite con lintroduzione di quelle prevalentemente alpine.
Il numero finale degli alberi monumentali non è particolarmente elevato, sia a causa dello
sfruttamento forestale dei boschi ancora in atto in questa provincia sia per la scarsa presenza
di dimore storiche che, in altre province, hanno garantito la conservazione di alcuni esemplari
nel corso degli anni divenendo, pertanto, fonte di numerose segnalazioni.
Probabilmente gli alberi monumentali individuati verranno inseriti allinterno del PTCP con
una norma che ne salvaguardi la conservazione, fatta salva la possibilità di abbattimenti per
problemi di stabilità o fitopatologici.
Risultati:
alberi monumentali
212,
168,
Castanea (24), Fagus (18), Larix (11).
Provincia di Bergamo
Il lavoro, svolto su tutto il territorio provinciale comprese le aree protette, è iniziato nel
1998 ed è ormai in conclusione. Nella fase di raccolta dei dati ci si è avvalsi della preziosa
collaborazione di GEV, aree protette, Comuni, Corpo Forestale dello Stato e varie associazioni
naturalistiche e ambientali; la loro attività ha prodotto circa 1.150 segnalazioni. Per la
successiva verifica tecnica ci si è affidati a tecnici esterni alla Amministrazione, coordinati
dallOrto Botanico di Bergamo. Le segnalazioni ritenute monumentali sono circa 400 e
attualmente si sta valutando quali inserire allinterno del PTCP con una norma che ne salvaguardi
la conservazione, fatta salva la possibilità di abbattimenti per problemi di stabilità o
fitopatologici.
Provincia di Lodi
Il lavoro, svolto su tutto il territorio provinciale comprese le aree protette, è iniziato nel
1999 ed è ormai entrato nella fase finale. Lincarico è stato affidato a un tecnico esterno alla
Amministrazione. Nella fase di raccolta dei dati ci si è avvalsi della preziosa collaborazione di
GEV, aree protette e Comuni; la loro attività ha prodotto circa 700 segnalazioni. Attualmente
sono stai selezionati circa 100 esemplari da sottoporre alla verifica tecnica.
Provincia di Como
Il lavoro, svolto su tutto il territorio provinciale, è iniziato nel 2001 ed è ormai entrato
nella seconda e ultima fase. La ricerca, a partire dallesperienza maturata nelle altre Province,
è stata caratterizzata da una fase iniziale di predisposizione delle azioni da intraprendere; a
tal fine è stato nominato un apposito Tavolo tecnico-scientifico. È stata anche verificata
lesistenza di precedenti e analoghi lavori, attività che ha consentito il recupero dei dati di
censimenti compiuti negli anni 90 da parte del WWF e del Corpo Forestale dello Stato. Nella
fase di raccolta dei dati si è cercato di coinvolgere, oltre alle GEV, le scuole, i Comuni e le
Associazioni, anche i numerosi edifici e ville storiche con parco e/giardino vincolati ai sensi
della normativa vigente. Questo lavoro ha prodotto circa 500 segnalazioni da sottoporre alla
successiva verifica tecnica. Nel corso del lavoro si è anche compiuta una rivisitazione della
scheda di rilevamento e del relativo data-base di archiviazione e di calcolo dei punteggi.
Provincia di Lecco
Il lavoro, svolto su tutto il territorio provinciale, è iniziato nel corso del 2002 ed è ormai
entrato nella seconda e ultima fase. Lincarico è stato affidato al WWF. Nella fase di raccolta
dei dati ci si è avvalsi dei volontari del WWF, mentre con le GEV si sta procedendo alla
georeferenziazione degli esemplari sinora segnalati. La prima fase di raccolta dati ha prodotto
circa 850-900 segnalazioni, che saranno sottoposte alla verifica tecnica da parte di un
esperto forestale del WWF.
Sempre con la collaborazione da parte delle GEV si stanno individuando dei percorsi
turistici alla scoperta degli alberi monumentali della provincia; attualmente si sta lavorando
su circa 15 itinerari.
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Provincia di Cremona
Il lavoro di censimento è iniziato nel 2004. Come dato di partenza si è tenuto conto di una
pubblicazione sui giardini della provincia; questi sono poco più di 100 e oltre la metà hanno
almeno un albero monumentale. Per garantire la completezza del censimento sono state
coinvolte non solo le GEV ma anche le aree protette e il Gruppo Floristico Cremonese.
Provincia di Mantova
Il lavoro è iniziato nel 2004, affidandosi a professionisti esterni alla Pubblica Amministrazione.
Sinora è stata inviata un questionario ai Comuni e alcuni hanno già risposto comunicando
dati interessanti. Ci si avvarrà anche della collaborazione delle aree protette e delle associazioni
ambientaliste e naturalistiche.
Provincia di Varese
Il lavoro è iniziato nel 2004, affidandosi a professionisti esterni alla Pubblica Amministrazione.
In ogni caso ci si avvarrà anche della preziosa collaborazione di GEV, Comuni, aree protette
e associazioni, che nella altre Province hanno contribuito in modo significativo alla fase
iniziale di raccolta dei dati.
Prospettive e sviluppi
Nel complesso si può affermare che il censimento degli alberi monumentali in Regione
Lombardia ha sinora prodotto ottimi risultati. Per completare e migliorare il lavoro si prevede
di promuovere le seguenti azioni:
· completare i censimenti ancora in corso o appena iniziati;
· estendere i censimenti anche allinterno delle aree protette, inizialmente escluse nelle
Province di Brescia e Milano;
· aggiornare in continuo i censimenti già conclusi;
· prevedere, man mano, linserimento degli alberi monumentali allinterno dei PTCP;
· prevedere linserimento dei dati in Carta Naturalistica della Lombardia;
· prevedere finanziamenti per lesecuzione di perizie e di interventi conservativi (potature,
dendrochirurgia ecc.); i fondi potrebbero essere liquidati alle Province in proporzione agli
alberi censiti; le Province, in seguito, dovrebbero predisporre un bando oppure convenzionarsi
con una ditta che provvederà a verificare tutti i casi segnalati intervenendo ove il caso;
· prevedere una serie di pubblicazioni divulgative provinciali e una pubblicazione regionale;
· prevedere una norma di legge che tuteli gli alberi monumentali e preveda lerogazione di
fondi.
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LESPERIENZA GESTIONALE DELLE PUBBLICHE AMMINISTRAZIONI NELLAMBITO
DELLA TUTELA E VALORIZZAZIONE DEGLI ALBERI MONUMENTALI: IL CASO DELLA
REGIONE VENETO
E. Piutti, G. Bullo, A. Vieceli
Azienda Regionale Veneto Agricoltura, Agripolis Legnaro (PD)
1. Premessa
Il tema degli alberi monumentali è di estrema attualità oltre che particolarmente
affascinante e di grande rilievo per la storia dellintero territorio nazionale e del paesaggio
che lo definisce. Infatti, tutela e conservazione di questi beni vegetali nasce da motivazioni
sia paesaggistiche che ambientali in quanto è riconosciuto che gli alberi, soprattutto quelli di
grandi dimensioni, costituiscono la componente più appariscente ed emozionale di qualsiasi
luogo e ricoprono un ruolo fondamentale nel determinarne il valore.
Gli alberi sono una delle forme di vita più antiche della terra, silenziosi testimoni
dellevoluzione dellumanità e del passaggio del tempo. La consapevolezza che tali monumenti
naturali, caratterizzati da unelevata ricchezza genetica che li rende tanto forti da superare
le siccità più lunghe e resistere ai freddi più intensi, siano giunti fino ai giorni nostri dopo una
lunga e complessa evoluzione attraverso i secoli deve far riflettere anche sul loro valore
storico-culturale e testimoniale. Gli alberi monumentali, inoltre, costituiscono un peculiare
elemento del patrimonio architettonico ed artistico, caratterizzando ed arricchendo gli ambienti
esterni di ville, residenze e palazzi storici, dove spesso sono potuti sopravvivere salvaguardati
da eventi bellici e dalle modificazioni urbanistiche degli ultimi decenni. Vanno così considerati
come beni preziosi da tutelare e conservare nel tempo, costituendo globalmente un patrimonio
naturale e paesaggistico con valenza composita meritevole di attenzione.
Un albero monumentale ha perciò un grande valore ecologico, estetico e culturale e va
valorizzato in quanto componente della memoria collettiva e componente significativa dei
paesaggi.
Tuttavia, a causa della longevità e senescenza, degli interventi di ripristino e
dellinterferenza con le infrastrutture adiacenti, gli alberi monumentali sono piante molto
vulnerabili e maggiormente soggette a deperimento. Strettamente connesse alla loro presenza
sono le problematiche relative alla manutenzione ed al ripristino ambientale ed architettonico
nonché allo spinoso problema delle responsabilità, della gestione e del tipo degli interventi,
trovandosi spesso in aree pubbliche e ad elevata valenza sociale.
2. La situazione normativa regionale e nazionale a supporto del censimento e della
catalogazione
Soprattutto dagli anni 90 la maggior parte delle Regioni si sta dotando di norme per la
tutela, la valorizzazione e la conservazione del patrimonio vegetale di alto pregio e, più
specificatamente, degli alberi monumentali.
Molti sono i lavori disponibili di censimento e schedatura delle piante monumentali, avviati
dalle singole amministrazioni ed associazioni ambientaliste e culturali. La metodologia seguita
è quella già utilizzata per il censimento del verde urbano (impiego di un sistema informativo
geografico e di schede di rilevamento informatizzate per la raccolta delle caratteristiche
morfologiche, fitosanitarie e di stabilità, strutturazione di un database per la programmazione
e la gestione degli interventi e costi di manutenzione, ecc.). Numerosi ormai sono gli esempi
sia a livello regionale italiano che internazionale di elenchi e pubblicazioni sugli alberi monumentali
in ampi ambiti territoriali o più specificatamente di quelli in ville, parchi e giardini.
3. Lesperienza gestionale delle pubbliche amministrazioni: la Regione Veneto
3.1 Quadro storico
Nel Veneto il primo organismo istituzionale ad occuparsi di alberi monumentali è stato il
Corpo Forestale dello Stato che nel 1982 ha effettuato un censimento che ha interessato gli
alberi che come singoli soggetti arborei hanno una propria individualità per essere
eccezionalmente vecchi, per essere stati protagonisti di episodi storici o per essere legati
alla vita di grandi uomini o di Santi. Liniziativa, lanciata al livello nazionale nellestate del
1982 e condotta dal personale del Corpo Forestale dello Stato, ha censito, in Veneto, 57
alberi.
La Regione Veneto, nellambito dei lavori di redazione del Piano Regionale di Coordinamento,
ha avviato, nel 1987, un censimento degli alberi monumentali della Regione. Tale censimento
è stato articolato per provincia e a tal fine è stata elaborata una scheda. I lavori di rilievo,
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eseguiti dal WWF, hanno dato luogo ad una pubblicazione per ogni singola provincia censita,
curata dalla Segreteria regionale per il territorio dal titolo I grandi alberi della Provincia di
.. Il censimento, sospeso nel 1995, ha consentito la pubblicazione di 5 Province su 7 con i
seguenti risultati:
Successivamente alcune amministrazioni provinciali hanno effettuato autonomamente
attività di censimento. E il caso, ad es., della Provincia di Padova che ha eseguito un
censimento e una catalogazione degli alberi monumentali presenti nel suo territorio. I dati
sono stati inseriti in un programma di gestione informatico. Per ogni singolo albero censito è
stata effettuata lindagine di stabilità secondo il metodo VTA (Visual Tree Assessmant),
consentendo così di individuare leffettivo stato di salute degli alberi e i soggetti a rischio
nonché di raccogliere gli elementi per poter mettere in atto le misure di salvaguardia. Il
censimento è stato inoltre arricchito da una ricerca storica. Gli alberi censiti dalla Provincia
di Padova sono 92. Anche lAmministrazione Provinciale di Venezia, visto il mancato
completamento del censimento regionale ha deciso di procedere in proprio al censimento
degli alberi monumentali presenti sul proprio territorio, che è stato completato nel 2002. Il
lavoro è stato reso noto con una pubblicazione che descrive 166 degli alberi censiti.
3.2 La Legge Regionale del Veneto n. 20 del 9 agosto 2002
3.2.1 Finalità e definizioni
La legge regionale n. 20/2002 Tutela e valorizzazione degli alberi monumentali, detta
norme per lindividuazione degli alberi monumentali di alto pregio naturalistico e storico, di
interesse paesaggistico e culturale presenti nella Regione Veneto. Il testo di legge definisce
come alberi monumentali di alto pregio naturalistico e storico e di interesse paesaggistico e
culturale:
a) gli alberi isolati o facenti parte di formazioni boschive naturali o artificiali che per età o
dimensioni possono essere considerati come rari esempi di maestosità o longevità
b) gli alberi che hanno un preciso riferimento a eventi o memorie rilevanti dal punto di vista
storico o culturale o a tradizioni locali.
3.2.2 Competenze
La legge regionale individua lAzienda Regionale per i settori agricolo, forestale e agroalimentare, Veneto Agricoltura, ente pubblico economico della Regione Veneto, quale soggetto
competente per listituzione dellelenco regionale degli alberi monumentali, incaricando la
stessa di definire la metodologia di rilevazione e i contenuti informativi della scheda tipo, che
dovrà almeno contenere i dati caratteristici di vegetazione e i criteri di tutela. Linserimento
nellelenco regionale degli alberi monumentali avviene su proposta diretta delle Province, dei
Comuni, delle Comunità Montane e degli Enti Parco oppure a seguito di segnalazioni di singoli
cittadini o associazioni ai medesimi enti che trasmetteranno a Veneto Agricoltura la
segnalazione corredata da un proprio parere. La scheda tipo e lelenco regionale degli alberi
monumentali sono pubblicati nel Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione del Veneto. Lelenco verrà
aggiornato periodicamente. Oltre a Veneto Agricoltura, le strutture regionali interessate
sono i Servizi Forestali e i Servizi Fitosanitari che assicurano rispettivamente lassistenza per
gli aspetti agroforestali e fitopatologici in merito agli alberi dellelenco.
3.2.3 Valorizzazione e tutela
LAzienda Regionale Veneto Agricoltura, le Province, i Comuni, le Comunità Montane e gli
Enti Parco promuovono iniziative di pubblicizzazione e di valorizzazione degli alberi inclusi
nellelenco al fine di divulgarne la conoscenza, il significato di tutela nonché per migliorare il
contesto territoriale e ambientale circostante. Gli alberi inseriti nellelenco sono segnalati
come Albero Monumentale Protetto. I Comuni riportano nel proprio strumento urbanistico
generale gli alberi monumentali protetti e le relative aree di pertinenza dettando apposita
normativa di tutela. Gli interventi per una corretta manutenzione e conservazione degli alberi
monumentali sono autorizzati dal Comune previa acquisizione di un parere tecnico delle
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strutture regionali competenti in materia di servizi forestali e fitosanitari. È vietato a chiunque
abbattere, danneggiare o comunque modificare la struttura degli alberi monumentali inseriti
nellelenco regionale, salvo pareri degli enti competenti. Labbattimento dei alberi inclusi
nellelenco può avvenire per esigenze di pubblica incolumità o per esigenze fitosanitarie e
comunque dopo aver accertato limpossibilità ad adottare soluzioni alternative. I comuni e le
strutture regionali competenti in materia di servizi forestali e fitosanitari vigilano sullapplicazione
delle disposizioni della presente legge.
3.3 Metodologia utilizzata
Sulla base delle finalità e delle disposizioni della legge regionale n. 20/2002, lAzienda
Regionale Veneto Agricoltura ha predisposto un piano triennale di lavoro dal 2003 al 2005.
Fase 1
a. Organizzazione, da parte di Veneto Agricoltura, di un incontro a livello regionale al quale
sono stati chiamati a partecipare tutti gli Enti e le Associazioni che si sono occupati in
passato o che si occupano oggi di alberi monumentali nonché gli Enti Territoriali interessati
dalla Legge per la futura applicazione del vincolo; nellincontro è stato illustrato il contenuto
della Legge e presentata la bozza di programma di lavoro che ha dato luogo ad un
partecipato e costruttivo dibattito.
b. Istituzione di una Commissione Tecnica Consultiva costituita da un rappresentante di
Veneto Agricoltura, della Direzione Foreste ed Economia Montana della Regione Veneto,
del Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale, del Dipartimento TESAF (TErritorio e Sistemi AgroForestali) dellUniversità di Padova, del Corpo Forestale dello Stato, della Soprintendenza
per i Beni architettonici ed il Paesaggio del Veneto, dellAssociazione Nazionale Comuni
dItalia e del WWF - sezione regionale del Veneto. La Commissione ha il compito di fornire
a Veneto Agricoltura il proprio parere tecnico in merito allinclusione degli alberi nellelenco
regionale. Svolge inoltre un ruolo consultivo in merito alla definizione della scheda tipo per
il rilevamento, alla definizione dei criteri di selezione e delle metodologie di rilevazione.
c. Determinazione dei requisiti che qualificano una pianta come monumentale e dei criteri di
selezione;
d. Raccolta e selezione del materiale pubblicato già esistente relativo alle piante già censite
e verifica della disponibilità di altri dati rilevati e non ancora pubblicati;
e. Definizione di una scheda tipo di censimento in linea con i requisiti richiesti dalla legge
regionale (art. 3 comma 2) e conforme sia agli standard di catalogazione e inventario
proposti dalla scheda PG Parchi e Giardini dellIstituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la
Documentazione del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività culturali;
f. Progettazione di un software per la gestione delle schede per ogni singola pianta
(localizzazione e georeferenziazione, informazioni amministrative, dati morfologici e botanici,
dati fitopatologici, dati storico-culturali, criteri di tutela, foto e bibliografia, ecc.)
Fase 2
a. Istituzione di un tavolo provinciale per la verifica della selezione eseguita sul materiale
pubblicato (fase 1.d.); sono chiamati al tavolo provinciale gli Enti Territoriali, gli altri Enti
Pubblici e le Associazioni interessati dallargomento (Servizi Forestali, Corpo Forestale
dello Stato, Servizi fitosanitari,);
b. Sopralluoghi in campo al fine di verificare e implementare le informazioni raccolte nelle
schede già esistenti, applicando i criteri e le schede di cui alla fase 1, così da ottenere un
primo inventario degli alberi monumentali;
c. Individuazione delle piante appartenenti al primo inventario con possibili problemi relativi
alla stabilità e allo stato fitosanitario;
d. Informatizzazione delle schede relative al primo inventario con georeferenziazione.
Fase 3
a. Approfondimento dello stato fitosanitario e verifica della stabilità per le piante per le quali
sono stati individuati problemi di sicurezza;
b. Cartellinatura delle piante inserite nel primo inventario: Regione Veneto Albero
monumentale;
c. Formulazione di indicazioni operative sulla pianificazione e sulle modalità di gestione del
patrimonio arboreo censito per i Comuni interessati (o gli Enti Gestori nel caso di Parchi o
Riserve);
d. Divulgazione: predisposizione di un link a tema su sito web dellAzienda Regionale Veneto
Agricoltura, produzione di un CD rom e di un depliant illustrativo del progetto.
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I principali aspetti da evidenziare nelle fasi di lavoro sono i seguenti:
- la costituzione della Commissione tecnica consultiva che consente di poter disporre del
contributo e della competenza di esperti afferenti a varie discipline;
- la predisposizione di due prospetti (Tabella 1 e Tabella 2) utili ai fini della classificazione di
una pianta come monumentale, in cui sono indicati vincoli e criteri di priorità per la scelta
delle piante da inserire nellelenco;
Tabella 1 - Vincoli per la classificazione delle piante monumentali
Deroghe a V1, V2 e V3 potranno essere ammesse con specifica motivazione
Tabella 2 Criteri di priorità per la classificazione delle piante monumentali
- la raccolta di tutti i censimenti realizzati nel Veneto in più di un ventennio di attività da
parte di vari Enti e Associazioni e avvio della selezione per lelenco regionale da questo
materiale raccolto;
- listituzione del tavolo provinciale che consente di poter disporre della competenza e della
conoscenza del territorio che di chi, per lavoro o per passione, percorre quasi quotidianamente
le aree dove vegetano gli alberi da selezionare;
- accanto allelenco degli alberi monumentali sarà redatto un elenco di alberi notevoli.
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4. Problematiche emerse
Le difficoltà finora incontrate nello sviluppo delle fasi di lavoro possono essere brevemente
sotto elencate:
1. Mancanza di documenti normativi nazionali di riferimento per la classificazione di piante
di pregio e per la omogeneizzazione della metodologia di rilievo e censimento
Infatti, se da un lato è consolidata lopinione che lalbero monumentale è un bene ambientale,
meritevole di conservazione e tutela, ancor oggi si deve purtroppo constatare che a livello
normativo nazionale le cose non sono ben chiare o per lo meno sussiste un approccio ancora
approssimativo legato a criteri di catalogazione non esplicitati e codificati in maniera univoca
per tutti. Ad oggi infatti, non è stato ancora proposto alcun protocollo operativo ufficiale, a
livello nazionale, sulle modalità di individuazione, di censimento, di catalogazione e di gestione
degli alberi monumentali, lasciando alle amministrazioni locali piena libertà sullorganizzazione
del lavoro. Il Decreto Legislativo n. 490 del 1999, così come il recentissimo Codice dei Beni
culturali e del Paesaggio (art. 10 punto 4 lett. f), pur sancendo limportanza del patrimonio
ambientale e paesaggistico, non considera esplicitamente lelemento albero come un bene
monumentale da conservare nonostante presenti un indiscutibile valore storico, estetico,
paesaggistico, ambientale. Inoltre, lattuale scheda Parchi e Giardini proposta dal Ministero
per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione, 1994)
inquadra il bene parco o giardino, senza però considerare adeguatamente gli alberi quali
principali elementi vegetali che compongono e determinano il valore stesso del parco.
Infine, anche se vengono comunemente classificati alberi monumentali quelle piante
imponenti che suscitano meraviglia per unicità ed armonia, caratterizzate da longevità e
dimensioni notevoli, da forma o portamento molto particolari e rare, da essere considerate
rarità botaniche o collegate con edifici storici o monumentali, con fatti storici, tradizioni o
leggende, manca una metodologia standard di rilievo valida ad ampia scala; pertanto non è
possibile, o risulta difficile, fare confronti fra diverse realtà territoriali. Questo permetterebbe
di avere un approccio oggettivo alla catalogazione del bene da tutelare, slegato da criteri
soggettivi ed emotivi di valutazione, soprattutto nei casi di alberi che già sottostanno a
vincoli o che richiederebbero finanziamenti per interventi di manutenzione.
2) La legge non prevede le modalità di applicazione del vincolo
Una volta realizzato il primo elenco regionale degli alberi monumentali, sarà necessario
individuare le modalità di applicazione del vincolo.
3) Difficoltà a reperire finanziamenti e specifici contributi per gli interventi sia di tipo
fitosanitario che di messa in sicurezza degli alberi monumentali
Nella legge regionale del Veneto n. 20/2002 per la tutela e valorizzazione degli alberi
monumentali non sono previsti contributi specifici per la valorizzazione degli esemplari
monumentali individuati nellapposito elenco. Questo aspetto è molto delicato in quanto la
pianta monumentale può essere vista non come un pregio bensì come un onere dal singolo
proprietario o amministrazione comunale, impossibilitati spesso a far fronte alle spese di
manutenzione, restauro e messa in sicurezza. Quando lelenco degli alberi monumentali verrà
pubblicato nel Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione ed il vincolo di tutela diverrà quindi effettivo,
sarà indispensabile poter disporre di un finanziamento per lesecuzione degli interventi di
messa in sicurezza degli alberi.
5. Conclusioni
La finalità del lavoro promosso dalla legge regionale del Veneto sulla tutela e valorizzazione
degli alberi monumentali è quella di far prendere coscienza di questo enorme patrimonio
naturalistico ai cittadini veneti. La tutela e conservazione sono, in unottica di sviluppo
sostenibile e valorizzazione delle risorse ambientali, i primi e basilari strumenti per trasmettere
alle generazioni future limportanza e il rispetto di tale patrimonio.
Solo così ogni cittadino si potrà impegnare in prima persona per difendere questi giganti
della storia e potrà essere direttamente coinvolto in azioni di promozione e divulgazione
relative alla conoscenza e al significato storico-culturale del patrimonio arboreo paesaggistico
regionale. Infine, sarebbe auspicabile che i contributi di studio e il know-how prodotti dalle
singole regioni potessero confluire in un unico lavoro di sintesi a livello nazionale con
individuazione e definizione di criteri e metodologie organiche di catalogazione; ciò potrebbe
servire alla conservazione e gestione delle piante di pregio, al controllo fitosanitario e alla
messa in sicurezza nonché, forse, ad uneventuale pianificazione dei finanziamenti necessari
per gli interventi.
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6. Bibliografia di riferimento
AA.VV. 1990. Gli alberi monumentali dItalia: il Centro e il Nord. Ed. ABETE, Roma.
AA.VV. 1991. Grandi alberi e monumenti naturali nel Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Regione Autonoma del
Friuli Venezia Giulia, Az. Parchi e Foreste Regionali, pp. 223.
Corona P., Salbitano F. 2001. Aspetti progettuali e di gestione delle alberature urbane. EM Linea Ecologica 33(3): 11-25.
Credano V., Pirola A. 1975. La vegetazione della Provincia di Sondrio. Amm. Provinciale Sondrio,
Banca Credito Valtellinese, Sondrio.
Dalla Fior G. 1985. La nostra flora. Ed. G.B.Monauni, Trento 1985
Fenaroli L. 1967. Guida agli alberi dItalia. Ed. Marcello, Milano.
Gellini R. 1985. Botanica forestale (Testi I e II). Ed. CEDAM, Firenze
Hageneder F. 2001. Lo spirito degli alberi. Ed. Crisalide, pp. 439.
Harrison R.P. 1982. Foreste. Lombra della civiltà. Garzanti, pp.300.
Pignatti S. 1982. Flora dItalia. Edagricole, Bologna.
Provincia di Brescia. 1996. Alberi monumentali della provincia di Brescia. Il Verde Editoriale, Milano.
Provincia di Brescia. 1996. Censimento degli esemplari arborei monumentali del territorio della
provincia di Brescia da sottoporre a tutela ex L.R. 30.11.83 n.86. Il Verde Editoriale, Milano.
Provincia di Milano. 1996. Censimento degli esemplari arborei monumentali del territorio della
provincia di Milano da sottoporre a tutela ex L.R. 30.11.83 n.86. Settore Ufficio del Piano, Milano.
Regione Emilia-Romagna. 1991. Alberi monumentali dellEmilia-Romagna Censimenti e tutela
(Volume n.43). Assessorato Ambiente/Istituto Beni Culturali, Bologna.
Regione Lombardia. 1997. Direzione Generale Tutela Ambientale. Criteri e metodi per il censimento
degli alberi monumentali Documento tecnico. Milano.
Semenzato P. (a cura di) 1999. Il verde storico. Teoria e tecnica di conservazione e restauro.
Regione Veneto, Direzione Cultura e Az. Reg. Veneto Agricoltura, pp. 102.
Summary
This paper outlines the importance of veteran trees under the naturalistic, cultural,
social and landscape point of view. Then, it is referred the aim of the regional law for
defence and protection of veteran trees and the methodology proposed by the Regional
Agency Veneto Agricoltura to arrange the veteran tree list for the Veneto Region. Problems
faced during the work development are presented and discussed.
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IL SISTEMA REGIONALE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DELLA NATURA.
LA TUTELA DEGLI ALBERI MONUMENTALI E LA CONSERVAZIONE DEL PAESAGGIO IN
PUGLIA
M. Saccomanno
Ufficio Parchi e Riserve Naturali, Assessorato allAmbiente Regione Puglia
La tutela del patrimonio di alberi monumentali assume una particolare rilevanza in Puglia in
relazione ad alcune specificità. Da un lato la regione appare essere quella con la più bassa
percentuale di boschi (149.400 Ha pari al 7,75% della superficie regionale), dallaltra la sua
posizione geografica gli ha conferito nel tempo un notevole patrimonio di biodiversità. La
Puglia è definita infatti regione delle dieci querce, due delle quali appaiono esclusive della
nostra regione (Quercus trojana webb, Quercus macrolepis), ospita con la foresta Umbra, la
più estesa formazione di latifoglie in Italia (circa 15.000 Ha), presenta estese formazioni di
Pinus halepensis.
Il carattere determinante della pianura e delle limitate pendenze ha favorito nei secoli la
forte riduzione del manto forestale, la cui presenza è testimoniata oggi proprio da vetusti
alberi isolati. La tutela di tali esemplari viene operata attraverso il Decreto legislativo 29
ottobre 1999, n° 490
Testo Unico delle disposizioni legislative in materia di beni culturali e ambientali che
agisce nei casi in cui vi è anche un valore storico del contesto di inserimento e dalla
normativa regionale L.R. n° 14 del 31-05-2001 Art. 30 Tutela paesaggistica degli alberi che
prevede la istituzione di un albo regionale dei monumenti vegetazionali. Per gli esemplari
dellalbo è previsto il divieto di espianto e un regime sanzionatorio per gli abusi.
La L. R. n.19 del 24-07-1997 Norme per listituzione e la gestione delle aree naturali
protette nella Regione Puglia prevede altresì allart. 2 - Classificazione delle aree naturali
protette listituto dei monumenti naturali.
Le azioni svolte sinora hanno riguardato una prima fase di conoscenza, favorita dalla
diffusione di una scheda di censimento e successiva valutazione e validazione delle segnalazioni
pervenute agli uffici regionali. Si sta procedendo inoltre ad un raccordo con altri enti (CFS,
Ispettorati Forestali regionali) per lazione di tutela e ulteriore indagine.
La problematica della tutela degli alberi monumentali non riguarda solo le specie di interesse
forestale, lo dimostra il caso del commercio ed espianto degli ulivi in Puglia. Si tratta di un
caso complesso per due motivi: da una lato le dimensioni del problema, dallaltro limportanza
economica della coltura dellolivo nella regione. In Puglia ci sono oltre 350.000 Ha coltivati ad
ulivi, pari al 25% della superficie regionale. Sono interessati tutti i comuni della regione.
Lulivo è il simbolo stesso del paesaggio pugliese.
Lulivo, specie originaria del medio oriente, mostra i primi segni della sua presenza in Puglia
in ritrovamenti preistorici tra Torre a Mare e Fasano (sud della provincia di Bari) risalenti al
Neolitico, in periodo databile a circa 5000 a.C. Per avere unidea dellimportanza dellulivo
nella cultura regionale basti pensare che le antiche monete, gli stateri e le dracme tarantine
del VI-V sec. a.C., riportano leffige di satiri coronati dulivo. La presenza dellulivo si sostanzia
in Puglia anche nei numerosi frantoi ipogei di epoca remota, attraverso la cui analisi è stato
possibile verificare come avveniva sin da tempi lontanissimi la spremitura delle olive.
Secondi i dati del 2000 lolivocoltura pugliese produce un reddito di 760 milioni di euro
allanno. Vi sono cinque D.O.P. di produzione e la sua importanza è tale che sono stati
realizzati quattro grandi itinerari turistici denominati vie dellolio. Sono attivi 1200 frantoi,
che trattano le 53 diverse varietà di olive coltivate in regione.
Vi sono 50 milioni di piante di ulivo in Puglia, di questi circa 15 milioni di esemplari sono
censiti come ultracentenari e si può certamente stimare un numero non inferiore ai tre milioni
di esemplari pruricentenari e dotati di particolare valore paesaggistico ed estetico.
La notevole longevità dellolivo, con esemplari che in Puglia raggiungono i duemila anni,
sembra legata in parte allestrema capacità rigenerante della specie , in grado di rinascere
dal tronco reciso, cosi come dai robusti germogli che si affacciano anche dalle parti più
antiche dell albero. Le aspre condizioni climatiche caratterizzate da aridità, un difficile
substrato con roccia affiorante a pochi centimetri dalla superficie, la frequenza degli incendi,
il delicato equilibrio tra metabolismo dellalbero e potature, conferiscono agli esemplari di età
più avanzata un alternarsi di legna secca dallaspetto pitreo e vasi turgidi, ricche di linfa,
diretti alle parti in vegetazione. Il risultato è uninsieme di sculture viventi dallaspetto
fortemente suggestivo. Ma questi caratteri di rusticità e di adattabilità, se da una lato ci
hanno consegnato una pregevole eredità paesaggistica ed economica, dallaltra si stanno
traducendo in penoso rischio di impoverimento del paesaggio pugliese, per la relativa facilità
177
dellespianto e della vendita degli esemplari più pregevoli esteticamente. Nonostante limpegno
di istituzioni e cittadini la Puglia perde giornalmente significativi pezzi della sua identità. Ulivi
secolari si acquistano, spendendo dai 2 a 8-10 mila euro a pianta, e vengono richiesti per
arredare i giardini del nord Italia e dellEuropa centrale.
Le dimensioni del problema determinano la estrema difficoltà di schedatura di tutti gli
esemplari rappresentativi e la complessità di varare norme che vietino lespianto senza
confliggere con le esigenze produttive e con il diritto dei proprietari.
Lunica normativa di riferimento è una vecchia legge emanata da Umberto II: il decreto
legislativo luogotenenziale n. 475 Divieto di abbattimento di alberi dolivo del luglio 1945.
La norma è nata nellimmediato dopoguerra per limitare la tendenza allespianto di ulivi per
ricavarne legna da ardere, con il fine di tutelare la produzione. La norma prevede il divieto di
abbattimento di alberi di olivo oltre il numero di cinque ogni biennio, tranne in caso di morte
fisiologica degli alberi, permanente improduttività o eccessiva fittezza dellimpianto.
Attualmente si stanno perseguendo due vie per la tutela di questo patrimonio. Una di
analisi e raccolta dati per una maggiore comprensione del problema, laltra di maggiore
sensibilizzazione della popolazione e di raccolta dei dati. I primi risultati mostrano che gli ulivi
pluricentenari sono raramente presenti in forma isolata, più spesso sono raccolti in
appezzamenti agricoli piuttosto omogenei. E il caso di Mass. Pettolecchia, nei pressi di
Fasano (Br) dove è stato messo in evidenza che vi sono 3000 ulivi pluricentenari, alcuni dei
quali millenari, in una relativamente ridotta superficie aziendale.
Tali aree possono comunque essere messe in evidenza con luso di ortofoto carte, grazie
al caratteristico sesto di impianto irregolare, che una volta individuato può essere verificato
attraverso lanalisi diretta dei siti. Resta da definire il modo con il quale intervenire sotto il
profilo normativo per tutelare questi particolari paesaggi produttivi. Per una maggiore azione
di sensibilizzazione si sta procedendo con la creazione di una scheda di censimento specifica
per lulivo. Infatti i caratteri morfologici che individuano le specie di interesse forestale
(diametro del tronco, altezza dellalbero) non si adattano allulivo.
La nuova scheda si basa piuttosto su alcune caratteristiche del tronco (forma spiralata,
aspetto dellapparato radicale, ecc.). Con questo sistema sarà facilitata lindividuazione degli
esemplari isolati ed anche dei contesti più rappresentativi, accanto ad unazione di
sensibilizzazione dei cittadini.
Non si tratta ancora della soluzione del problema, ma certamente di unazione che riteniamo
potrà portare in tempi medio-brevi ad una forte riduzione dellespianto e traffico di pezzi del
nostro paesaggio.
178
MONUMENTAL TREES AND RELICT VEGETATIONAL FORMATIONS OF THE PROVINCE OF
MATERA: INTERVENTIONS OF PROTECTION AND VALUE INCREASE
E.L. De Capua, C. Rugge
1. Introduction
The former denomination Lucania of Regione Basilicata, evokes what once was the
natural landscape of this Region, dominated by the forest (lucus) and testifying its ancient
sylvan-pastoral origins.
Also the lucanian forest landscape has suffered deep modifications through the ages.
Nevertheless interesting traditions have remained intact, which are tightly connected to
ancient uses and customs of the various civilizations that alternated in the territory at
different times. They concern celebrations and cults devoted to trees.
The presence of important forest resources, characterizing the Province of Matera, has
stimulated different studies, in particular on the relict vegetational realities, being rare ones,
as well as on the suggestive monumental trees that grow within its territory.
Such natural resources, connected to their historical and cultural aspects, represent
fundamental elements to build up an educational knowledge path about the environment,
underlining the signs that the human and natural history have handed down to us. In order
to reach this goal, the Province of Matera has started and extended a series of interventions,
aimed at protecting and raising the value of the forest resource in general and in particular
of the unusual patrimony represented by the monumental trees. These deserve to be preserved
for their noteworthy scientific-cultural and aesthetical value, being, moreover, important
testimonies of the native Italian wood patrimony.
2. History and cult of the tree in the province of Matera
Traditions and historical references about forests and trees offer very interesting hints
for the Lucanian territory and particularly for the province of Matera. The Greek civilization,
that mainly concerned the Metapontino Plain, introduced new cults and religious forms, to
be identified in the natural cycles.
In the classical age trees were object of cult and
humanized, as it happened for instance for Dafne, the mythical nymph transformed into
laurel, or for the fantastic forests populated by splendid female divinities called Driadi.
Already between the III and the VI century B.C., in the territory of Policoro (the ancient
Heraclea), the first laws concerning forest matters were passed. They still represent the
only document regarding the forest ecosystem in pre-Roman Age.
Besides offering accurate indications on the type of environment at those times, these
laws, written on bronze boards, enacted the obligation for farmers to replace the trees that
had been cut along the Agri river banks with others of the same species. In this way the
lands that were sacred to Dionisio and Atena would not be deprived of their natural beauties.
In the Roman Age the cult of the Italic god Silvano was widespread in the valley of the
river Sele. It was the god of the woods and the countryside, to whom Autumn propitiatory
rites were devoted. In the following centuries, the reduction of the forest surface mostly
concerned the hilly areas, that allowed better general conditions of life compared with the
ones in coast and mountain areas. In particular in the Lucanian territory, the work of
deforestation continued despite the special Law for the Basilicata passed in the 1904,
better known as Zanardelli Law, aimed at somehow stopping the devastation of Lucanian
woods. As in the rest of Italy, with the advent of Fascism, also in Basilicata the reforestation
and realization of urban parks favored a progressive change of the forest landscape. In fact
both the area of the Ionian coast and the one of the Materan hill, are dominated by the
presence of artificial settings of conifers, with a prevalence of Pinus halepensis, replacing
the natural formations merely reduced to relict evidence today.
The ancient pagan cult linked to the wood and tree is still strongly felt today by Lucanian
people and brought back to life through the celebrations of the May, celebrating the
nuptial rite between the prince of the trunks (Quercus cerris) and its top (Ilex aquifolium).
3. Vegetational patrimony and monumental trees
The natural environment of Basilicata shows extremely heterogeneous physical and
biological characteristics to which different vegetational landscapes correspond: from the
hilly to the mountain system, from the torrential basin to the duny environment and the
damp zones, from the natural parks to the reservations, not to forget the artificial
reforestations, the urban parks and the gardens.
179
The whole Region belongs to the Mediterranean climatic area, boasting the presence of
almost all its vegetational Plains. Within the Lucanian territory, in fact, you can find groups
of plants belonging to the thermo-Mediterranean Plain, that is strongly characterized by the
presence of thermopile vegetation, in particular sclerofilles such as the oleo-lentiscetis and
the Mediterranean pines. Or you can find vegetation belonging to the meso-Mediterranean
Plain where you can easily see the Leccio (Quercus ilex) and the thorny Oak (Quercus
coccifera). Moving from the valley of the Basento upward, these plains are overhung by the
supra-Mediterranean plain, with its characteristic deciduous oak woods, and by zones belonging
to the Mountain Mediterranean plain, where areas of forest with Abies alba grow.
In particular in the Province of Matera important relict vegetational evidence has survived.
The Wood of Policoro (Oriented Natural Reservation managed by the Province) represents
the last remains of what was the luxuriant forest maze of tall and deciduous trees ,
described by Norman Douglas, in 1907, when the English writer measured, inside the dense
brushwood, a lentisco having a three meter circumference. The present remains of the
wood represent what is left of the two complexes called wood of the Pantano soprano
and wood of the Pantano sottano, that were, up to some decades ago, one of the widest
plain forests in Southern Italy. It is a hydric wood linked to the Carici-fraxinetum angustifoliae,
dominated by the ossifillo Ash tree, with the presence of numerous other species, among
which the Rural Elm, the Farnia, the black Ontano, the Poplars and the Laurel. When not
subjected to systematic wood culture interventions, this forest had arboreal specimens of
considerable size, reduced to sporadic samples today.
Different areas of the Province of Matera along the Ionian coast belong to the same
context. Here important shrubby formations of the Mediterranean bush grow with a prevalence
of juniper and lentisco. The latter is present at various stages, from the gariga to the tall
bush, where the shrubby elements often exceptionally assume arboreal forms.
Among these, numerous specimens could be considered monumental trees due to the
exceptional sizes and the age, as well as their strange forms forged by the main wind,
blowing from the sea. In the province of Matera, within the territory of the Teresa Forest
, isolated specimens of Juniperus macrocarpa, whose age has been assessed about 110
years, have been individuated. In the Materan Comune of Montescaglioso, within the area
called the Monks Olive-grove, a small wood area of about half hectare still exists, mainly
composed of specimens of Pinus halepensis. In this group, formed by numerous plants of
more than one century, a specimen of over 110 years stands out. This specimen has got a
trunk with a four meter circumference growing up to about three meters and splitting itself
into two big branches of 70 cm of diameter each.
Moreover there are numerous specimens of deciduous oaks, typical of the upper plain, of
exceptional massive structure and longevity.
Among the innumerable examples, a specimen of Quercus pubescens, growing in the
place called Calla , in the Comune of Tricarico, stands out. Its age has been estimated to
be 600 years. It seems to be the oldest plant in whole Lucania, having a height of 16 m. and
a trunk circumference of 6,25 m. A further example of the extraordinary longevity of this
specimen is in the area called Pocco Hill in Oliveto Lucano. The Cersone, as it is called
by the inhabitants of Oliveto, is more than one hundred years, a height of 18 m. and a
circumference of 5,30 m. Among the suggestive calanchis of the Comune of Pomarico, in the
area of Melito Plain , four stately specimens of Pinus pinea grow. Their age has been
estimated to be about 160 years. They have a height of 30 m. and trunk circumference
between 2 and 3.5 m.
The following table sums up a list of the main plants having a particular naturalistic and
landscape value to be protected according to the Regional Law n. 42 of 22-5-1980, passed
with Decree by the President of the Regional Assembly of January 4 th 1988 n.3.
Tab.1 - List of the trees having major
naturalistic and landscape value in the Province of Matera
Kind Common Place Età(anni) C1,30(cm) Htot Posizione
Salix babylonica Aliano Acinello 25 175 14 isolated
Tamarixgallica Matera Cilvestri 50 140 3,50 isolated
Juniperusmacrocarpa Matera Forest Teresa 100 160 12 isolated
Phoenixdactiliphera Matera BorgoLa Hammers 100 220 8 isolated
Rhamnusalaternus Matera Forest Teresa 50 70 4 isolated
Quercus trojana Matera Farm S.Francesco 100 150 12 in group
Pinushalepensis Montesca-glioso Olive-grove deiMonaci 100 370 25 in group
180
Taxodium disticum Pomarico S. Felice 150 80 20 in group
Quercus pubescens OlivetoLucano Calle lily Rocco 300 530 18 isolated
Pinushalepensis OlivetoLucano Olive-grove / Accettura 50 270 18 isolated
Trembling Populus OlivetoLucano Scarrone 50 115 14 in to spin
Pinus pinea Pomarico Plan MelitoDemanio 150 307 30 in group
Salyxbabylonica Salandra Villa 35 80 12 isolated
Quercus pubescens Tricarico Calle lily 600 680 16 isolated
Fig. 1
An ancient Ceratonia siliqua in Montescaglioso (MT)
4. Interventions of protection and value raise
The Province of Matera intends to continue with the activity of preservation and value
raise of its own forest patrimony, by promoting a series of scientific and historical - naturalistic
studies aimed at defining the most appropriate ways of action and intervention. It has
undertaken for a long time scientific and geo-historical studies on the relict woods and on
the numerous monumental trees of the Province. The necessity of an interdisciplinary approach
is of fundamental importance, also because of the complexity of the territory and the
problems concerning the preservation of monumental trees. Such trees, being ancient and
very big specimens, need phytosanitary analysis, to prevent deterioration to take place,
and investigations about their stability. To such purpose the Province of Matera proposes to
collect the necessary data for the management and application of the appropriate culture
measures to adopt within a short period and over a longer one.
The numerous activities and implications coming out around a monumental tree have
given the idea for the institution of an Observatory on the relict woods and the monumental
trees of the Province of Matera. Given the institutional role of the Province, the realization
of informative didactic material on the monumental trees and what they represent is considered
to be of fundamental importance. The idea of promoting the monumental tree areas with a
series of initiatives connected to the local traditions is to be placed in the same context. So
that the places and the selected trees will not remain a closed reality but a well known one
that the public can enjoy, the realization of a suitable cartography is also essential. This will
be followed by the realization, where possible, of a series of paths, conceived in such a way
to focus the public attention on the important natural aspects and on the particularities
that can be seen there.
Conclusions
The structural and composition particularities of some woods contribute to define some
communities of considerable naturalistic value and, as to the monumental trees, some rare
examples of longevity and bulk, deeply connected to the culture and the popular traditions
of the territory. The census of the monumental trees taken till today represents only a part
181
of the vegetational patrimony of the Province that needs to be analyzed with greater detail.
The importance currently assumed by the monumental tree as a source of important
anthropological territorial information, requires an appropriate scientific and historical geographical search to be spread.
Having been recognized the essential value by now assumed by the environmental tourism,
the natural resources currently represent a crucial expectation of the traveler. The relict
woods and the monumental trees can represent, if correctly managed and protected, a
precious resource also in the field of the ecotourism and a further opportunity for the smaller
centers situated in the marginal territories of the Province.
Bibliography
ADAMESTEANU D., 1974 - La Basilicata antica. Di Mauro Editore.
CARELLI G., DE CAPUA E. L., LABRIOLA F., 2002 - Indagine preliminare sullo stato dei rimboschimenti
costieri del litorale Jonico di Policoro (MT). legno celulosa Carta, n.2
DE CAPUA E. L., 1995 Rinaturalizzazione delle pinete litoranee. Progetto redatto per la Provincia di
Matera.
DE CAPUA E. L.,1995 Il bosco di Policoro: vicende storiche e caratteri vegetazionali. Annali Accademia
Italiana di Scienze Forestali, Vol. 44.
GUALDI V., 1988. The maintenance and the improvement of the woods of the re3gionis center southern peninsular. National II° Congresso of forestry. Venice, 24-27 giugno,1998s
SPICCIARELLI R., 1996. You plant with trees Fathers The monumental trees of Lucani. Regional
suggestion of Basilicata.

immortality osnabruck

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