Giants of the high plateau: the monumental beech trees

During our hike above Erbezzo, we came across some of the great protagonists of the high-plateau landscape.

A few curiosities to see these giants with fresh eyes!

🍃 The beech, Fagus sylvatica, is a typical species of mountain and hill forests. Its fruits, called beechnuts, are a food source for many wild animals.

🐦 Bark, branches and canopy provide shelter and food for countless living beings: a large tree is a small ecosystem, with a hugely important biological role!

🌿 Solitary beeches near mountain huts and pastures are also witnesses to the relationship between people and the mountains. Large trees were considered sacred by ancient peoples, who relied on them as landmarks to find their way, for shelter from the sun and for food from their fruits.

📖 So age is not the only thing that makes a tree monumental: exceptional size, shape, botanical rarity, landscape, historical and cultural value, or its bond with the community can all play a part.

💚 Protecting monumental trees means safeguarding nature, biodiversity, memory and landscape all at once.

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