In our country still lacks a legal definition of “monumental tree” applies to the whole territory and able to guarantee the right to a big green patriarchs and unambiguous protection.
The monumental trees in Abruzzo
It is pointed out the growing interest on the part of the natural sciences and forestry, in the category of those trees which, because of their size, age, shape of the crown, the place of location and the importance of historical, cultural and scientific are defined monumental. Starting from the census of monumental trees created in 1982 by the State Forestry Corps has attempted to give an overview of the regulatory initiatives and knowledge on veteran trees in Italy, with reference also to other European countries, in order to highlight the importance of a consistent approach and shared for the preservation of this priceless heritage.
In the hilly areas have been recognized many oaks with stem diameters greater than two meters, on the coast olive trees, pinen and eucalyptus trees, looking charming; while in the foothills and mountainous areas have found many species of sycamore, beech, ash, pine blacks, poplars, rowan trees, pear trees, rates … in short, all monumental plants, solemn, majestic, old-growth, impressive and fascinating. In the end sixteen are plants with a circumference greater than six meters or larger diameters of two meters. Suffice it to say that in the annual rings of trees are written as climate change, morphological, and historical information is stored genetic 200-300 years old or more than 1000 years. The oldest tree in the world is “Pinus longaeva” of California dated more than 4000 years (in America there is a faculty of dendrochronology, which is studying the age of the plants). In Abruzzo, the oldest documented tree the black pine Camosciara that had, in 1988, 535 years. However, in the monumental nature does not coincide with the age …
A refined list of plants, for Abruzzo is a wildlife heritage of great scientific and monumental importance. 363 are the plants that the regional president, Gianni Chiodi , said in a signed decree signed “natural monuments protected under the 
Regional Law 38/96″ and for that protected the prohibition of the killing, “except for reasons of public safety or health concerns”. In addition to the prohibition of killing, the presidential decree fixed the area of relevance of the trees cut down without authorization may not be used for different destination. ” The sense of maximum protection of the plants identified – said the president of the region – is the need to preserve a unique and interesting fauna from a scientific standpoint . Many pf the Monumental plants included in the list are also a piece of history of the region, that has always placed at the center of its policy an environmental protection of the area . “As well as clarifies Gianfranco Giuliante , assessor who has the technical expertise to the decree, the list of 363 monumental plants can be updated every three years as a result of reports of public entities and institutions”.
The State Forestry Corps, has recorded, in the Abruzzo region, 74 monumental trees: 35 in the province of L’Aquila, 24 in the province of Chieti, 9 in the province of Teramo, 6 in the province of Pescara.
The ever larger tree is an oak, over 7.8 meters in circumference present in Ara old town of Crognaleto (TE) and, for the height, a poplar of 30 meters near L’Aquila at the Tiburtina Valeria SS17 to 31 km.
Among the 24 monumental trees surveyed in the province of Chieti 10 are located in Vasto
