by InTrieste
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region is home to some of the tallest and oldest trees in the country — including Italy’s tallest native tree, a white fir in the alpine municipality of Paularo. Now, local officials are launching a scientific project to ensure these ancient giants not only survive but help mitigate the effects of global warming.
Regional authorities announced this week a sweeping new initiative to study and preserve the DNA of more than 1,600 officially recognized “monumental trees” — those with exceptional age, size, or historical significance — scattered across Friuli Venezia Giulia. The aim: to develop a reproduction plan that will allow future generations of these resilient trees to thrive, even as the climate changes.
“These trees are not just symbols of our natural and cultural heritage,” said Cristina Amirante, the region’s Councillor for Infrastructure and Territory, who unveiled the project. “They also carry a unique genetic makeup that could prove vital in developing environmental strategies to counter the effects of global warming.”
The research project is a collaborative effort between the region’s Department of Infrastructure and Territory and an international network of scientific institutions. Partners include the botanical gardens of Trieste and Udine, the national botanical gardens of Palermo and Padua, and other international forestry research centers. The Regional Forestry Directorate and nursery in Tarcento will also play a key role.
At the heart of the project is a long-term plan to preserve the genetic material of these “green giants” — some of which have withstood centuries of environmental change — and explore how their biological resilience can be harnessed in reforestation and climate adaptation strategies.
“Without this effort, we risk losing irreplaceable genetic traits that have allowed these trees to survive for hundreds of years,” Amirante said. “By preserving their DNA and promoting reproduction, we’re safeguarding a living library of climate resilience.”
In addition to the scientific work, the region will soon publish a book documenting the region’s most remarkable trees, their records, and the stories behind them — from towering firs and ancient oaks to solitary chestnuts standing sentinel in remote valleys.
Italy, like much of southern Europe, has faced increasing threats from droughts, storms, and forest degradation due to climate change. With this new project, Friuli Venezia Giulia hopes to lead the way in combining heritage conservation with innovative climate science — by letting the forests speak for themselves.
