Tree-monuments must be protected, in Emilia-Romagna yes to the law:almost a million euros for the 622 special examples

The Legislative Assembly approved the legislation approved by the Bonaccini Council to protect and protect monumental trees:in the region there are 622, but the law provides all the criteria for registering new ones

BOLOGNA – The protection of monumental trees in Emilia-Romagna is law, 622 specimens of high historical and environmental value existing throughout the region.The Legislative Assembly, with the votes of the majority and the abstention of the centre-right, today approved the legislation approved in July by the Bonaccini council.A provision that updates a previous regional law and that allocates 935,000 euros for ordinary interventions in the three-year period 2023-2025.Resources that will be used to finance, through the issuing of ad hoc tenders, care and protection projects by both public and private bodies.And the investment made by the Region from 2021 to today for the care and management of the 'patriarchs' of nature is close to one million euros, the Region always reminds us.The law, in addition to defining the criteria and procedures for the identification and registration in the appropriate list of monumental trees, extends protection for the first time to regional old-growth forests:that is, those woods which have not undergone human intervention for at least 40 years and which for this reason boast peculiar characteristics of great naturalistic value and biodiversity.Protection will be recognized after a thorough examination of the applications received.

“We were the first Italian region, way back in 1977, to pass regulations for the protection and valorization of monumental trees,” recalls the regional councilor for parks and forestation, Barbara Lori.With the law approved today "we strengthen the protection of tree specimens which constitute a common good of great interest on an environmental, landscape and historical level.Un naturalistic heritage of extraordinary importance that we want to enhance more and more also on the communication side, aware that these giants of nature can represent a lever of tourist attraction and promotion especially for the Apennine territories.It is significant - concludes Lori - to have included in the legislative text ad hoc protection rules for old-growth forests, a precious resource for the protection of the biodiversity of our region".