Specchia Project - Fondazione Sylva

SPECCHIA

Hectares reforested

Trees planted

1000

Liters of oxygen generated per day
(estimated in 10 years)

50000

kg of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere
(estimated in 10 years)

10000

PROPERTY OF THE LAND

Municipality of Specchia

PLANTING SITE

Specchia - Località Cardigliano

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Restoration of abandoned areas within the Site of Community Interest "Bosco di Cardigliano," owned by the municipality, as a natural extension of the ancient forest, an important naturalistic route.

TYPE OF INTERVENTION

Afforestation project, part on arable land and part in an olive grove affected by Xylella.

PLANTING DATE

5/02/24

STATUS OF THE WORK

1st year: care and maintenance

DRAG

SELECTED SPECIES

Hawthorn

The hawthorn (scientific name: Crataegus monogyna L.) is a shrub or small tree of the Rosaceae family, widespread in Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. In our environments, it rarely exceeds 3-4 meters in height, with a dense canopy and spiny branches. The leaves, diamond-shaped with a serrated tip, are green in summer and yellow-orange in autumn. The white flowers bloom in spring in corymbs. The red fruits, containing a single pit, are edible but sour. Known for its medicinal properties, it is used to treat heart disorders and anxiety, and is also used in hedges and for soil stabilization.

Arbutus

The arbutus tree (scientific name: Arbutus unedo L.) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Ericaceae family, native to Mediterranean regions. It reaches a height of 5-8 meters and has a dense canopy, with oval, glossy leaves of dark green color. The small bell-shaped flowers, white or pink, bloom in autumn, forming pendulous clusters, followed by the fruits, called "corbezzoli," which ripen in winter. These fruits are red, fleshy, and sweet-tasting. The arbutus tree is drought-resistant and adapts well to poor, rocky soils. It is appreciated both for its ornamental appearance and for the production of honey and liqueurs, in addition to being used for soil stabilization.

Mastic tree

The mastic tree (scientific name: Pistacia lentiscus L.) is an evergreen shrub of the Anacardiaceae family, typical of hot Mediterranean regions. It can reach a height of 3-4 meters and has a globular, rounded canopy. The leaves are bright green, leathery, compound, and pinnate, with a strong aromatic scent due to the presence of essential oils. The fruits are small, spherical, and red, ripening in summer. The bark, when incised, produces a resin, well known as mastic from Chios, a secretion that coagulates into round or tear-shaped, transparent, yellow beads with a balsamic scent and a sour, bitter taste. The resin gets its name from the region where it is primarily cultivated, the island of Chios in Greece. Mastic has medicinal properties. Resistant to drought and poor soils, the mastic tree is particularly suited to hot, arid climates.

Kermes oak

The kermes oak (scientific name: Quercus coccifera L.) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Fagaceae family, typical of Mediterranean regions. It can reach a height of 3-6 meters and has a compact, branching canopy. The leaves are leathery and glossy, dark green in color, with spiny edges. The plant produces acorns that ripen in autumn and are appreciated by wildlife. Resistant to drought and poor soils, it primarily grows in rocky and arid environments. The kermes oak is important for its association with the kermes scale, an insect historically used to produce the crimson dye (kermes). It is also used to create hedges and as an ornamental plant.

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