Signs of Life from Millenary Olive Tree Burned in Sardinian Wildfires


A millennial wild olive tree in Kuglieri, recovering from a fire in western Sardinia last summer, is recovering. Three powerful shoots sprouted from the stump.

Following the devastation caused by the damage to the millennial olive tree, which was 16.5 meters long before the disaster, this event gave new hope to everyone.

We often think that these dangers can be avoided.– Pietro Paolo Arca, President, Montiferru Association

The new shoots are a sign that the plant is not dead, and we look forward to full recovery, said Pietro Paolo Arca, president of the Montferru Association, to the Olive Oil Times.

The resurrection of the ancient tree was made possible by the work of the association’s volunteers and botanists from Kagliari University and Sasari University.

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After the fire, we decided to work together to support farmers and institutions, ”said Arka. .We wanted to raise public awareness of the need to take action to rehabilitate the region, restore damaged olive trees, and quickly restore productive local production, and prevent years of productivity and loss of employment.

The group of volunteers called on other associations and private companies to respond by providing warm seedlings and contributing significantly to the restoration of olive and forest resources in the affected area.

After a formal request from the Municipality of Montreal, the local authority obtained a permit to help local institutions manage the Millennium site. Then, following the advice of experts, they began to implement a series of measures to restore the usefulness of the plant.

We put sunscreen on the remains of the tree, a covering made of scaffold tubes to replace the damaged leaves.

This arrangement, in conjunction with the straw, allowed them to reduce the soil and stem temperature to 90 ° C and return to normal. They also set up dripping irrigation.

Researchers at the University of Cagliari have discovered that photosynthetic activity is still taking place in some parts of the trunk, ”says Arka. .This means that the plant is not dead. It was a real relief ”

So we plan to irrigate every day or two where the plant is still needed. ” .And finally, one day in April, at Easter, we found the sprout still in its roots. ”

They waited until the twigs were strong enough to spread the news.

The millennial structure is clearly gone, ”said Arka. .He is being reborn, and we are proud to have contributed to the restoration of this monument.

Thanks are due to the many volunteers who have collaborated with the 84 members of our association. ” .Still, we can say that the forces of nature have conquered the folly of mankind.

Although it is not possible to irrigate the entire affected area, the association is working to save all the affected olive trees.

About 60 to 70 percent of the world’s plants respond well and have new shoots on the stem or stem. The hope is that a large number will be saved in three to four years.

In this case, the danger is to abandon the damaged land, which is not only for the local economy but also for the protection of the environment, ”Arka said. .On the contrary, this restoration gives all of us new confidence. ”

On July 23, one year after the fire broke out, the Montferu Association organized public events to discuss millennial tree renewal and urged local stakeholders to take the necessary steps to prevent future wildfires. Climate change.

We often think that these dangers can be avoided, ”says Arka. .In all areas, there is a general tendency to save on security. Instead, investing in prevention is much less expensive than fixing the damage and then taking corrective action. All of this should serve as a warning and a lesson to the present and future generations.


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