The first map of Messina's monumental trees was presented at the Passeggiata a Mare

The first map of Messina's monumental trees was presented at the Passeggiata a Mare

Today, Thursday 14 December, at Walk by the sea the map of the monumental trees found in the municipal area of ​​Messina was presented.

At the appointment, Mayor Federico Basile was present, the councilors Francesco Caminiti and Massimiliano Minutoli, the president of Messinaservizi Bene Comune Mariagrazia Interdonato took part; Giovanni Cavallaro Head of the office of the Departmental Forestry Inspectorate of Messina together with the project representative Gustavo Lampi; and representing the Superintendency of the Cultural and Environmental Heritage the architect Michelangelo Alicata.

Mayor Basile's satisfaction for the recognition, in his territory, of no. 15 specimens of inestimable landscape, naturalistic and ecological value and in this regard he declared: “A heartfelt thanks is addressed to Messinaservizi and the Messina Forestry Inspectorate for the active collaboration and technical support provided for the cataloging and description of the specimens registered. The hope is that from this perspective a synergistic work will develop between the institutions involved for the creation of a program to promote these wonders of nature which can represent a further tourist attraction for our territory", concluded Basile.

The initiative was managed by Messinaservizi Bene Comune in collaboration with the Departmental Forestry Inspectorate of Messina, within the scope of the implementing rules of the law 14 January 2013 n. 10, for the development of urban green spaces, and in particular pursuant to art. 7, containing the provisions “for the protection and safeguard of monumental trees, rows and tree-lined areas of particular landscape, naturalistic, monumental, historical and cultural value”. The preparatory phase was followed by the inclusion of a first group of city tree specimens in the list of monumental trees of Italy, established by decree of 23 October 2014, of the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies for the protection of the great Italian green patriarchs .

“The monumentality requirements are many, ranging from age to size, landscape and historical value, to the rarity of the species, just to name a few. Today is an opportunity - explained President Interdonato - to present the row of eight ficus macrophylla overlooking the sea of ​​the Strait, as well as other majestic, rare, historic and centenary arboreal individuals located in the City, for which the important goal aimed at their protection and conservation for their particular botanical, naturalistic, landscape and historical-cultural value which will allow access to regional financing measures for the care, protection and valorisation of monumental trees in urban areas. This is a first census among the species present in the City that currently meet the criteria of monumental trees in compliance with sector regulations", concluded the President of Messinaservizi Bene Comune.

In detail, in this first step, i two majestic Ficus macrophylla, the very rare Podocarpus and the historic Araucaria columnaris rooted inside Villa Mazzini; the centenary Platanus in via Brasile; the Ficus inside the garden of Palazzo Piacentini; the Cupressus at home in Santa Lucia Sopra Contesse; and the row of 8 ficus macrophylla overlooking the sea of ​​the Strait in the Batteria Masotto square. Furthermore, the procedures for inserting another group of trees on both public and private land are currently being prepared, including the historic ficus inside the former Villa De Gregorio; some specimens of botanical and historical value inside the Monumental Cemetery; and the two ficuses “hug yourself” inside the former Fair.