Gift Tree Planting Project – Italy

Project Description

The Gifted Tree’s planting project is in Pomino, Tuscany, Italy. Pomino is located in Tuscany, a region in central Italy and one of the most beautiful regions of Italy. Its capital, Florence, is home to some of the world’s most recognizable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo’s “David” statue, Botticelli’s works in the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo basilica. The region’s diverse natural landscape encompasses the rugged Apennine Mountains, Chianti’s olive groves and vineyards, and the Pomino Forest which borders the Casentinesi National Forest Park. Because of the destruction caused by the Second World War, this forest was totally replanted in Douglas fir trees, a major change from its original tree composition thereby significantly reducing the biodiversity of the site. Your project will restore the forest to its original composition by planting Oak, Chestnut, Beech and Birch trees in 3/4 of the area while retaining 1/4 as Douglas fir. This type of forest management will recreate the original local biodiversity allowing the return of large fauna especially wolves. At the social level, all the work is carried out by a local workforce, who work in the vineyards for part of the season and in the forest for the rest of the time.