There is currently only one monumental tree recognized by the Ministry in the Arezzo area: it is the “Bella di Ceciliano”, an oak tree 24 meters high and with a circumference of 570 centimetres.
However, in my opinion, our municipal territory can certainly boast a greater number of such trees, given the vast existing arboreal heritage. Furthermore, the national census of monumental trees is continuously updated and the Municipalities are required to collect all the reports they receive and then send them to the Region which carries out the evaluations.
This is why today I filed a policy document with which I ask that the Administration not only involve and stimulate the participation of citizens, associations, schools, for the identification of potential arboreal specimens with monumental characteristics present in the municipal territory, but also precisely by virtue of this potential list, create a municipal tourist route of monumental trees, in order to give our city greater prominence on a cultural and tourist level, as well as being a tool for protecting and enhancing the trees themselves.
Of great inspiration for this proposal was the book “The trees of memory”, written by the former State Forestry Corps and the Province of Arezzo in 2004, which contains in-depth documentation of the most characteristic trees of the province of Arezzo.
Michele Menchetti
Municipal councilor
