Lonato Tree Heritage Survey Reveals Over 2,000 Public Trees and Good Health
The survey of public tree heritage. The record holder of the town: there are over 2,000 trees. The most common species: horse chestnut, cypress, maritime pine.
Status of health and objectives of the survey
What is the health status of the public greenery in Lonate? Essentially good, at least according to the survey, which is the result of the collaboration established between the Comune di Lonato and the Istituto professionale di Stato per l’agricoltura e l’ambiente based in San Tomaso. The work was completed in June, after the end of the school year.
The notably thorough survey project was coordinated by professors Gabriele Zola and Vincenzo Donato, with assistance from Giovanni Cario, Luca Prandini, Alberto Toto, and carried out by the students of class II L. The educational activity was part of the school autonomy programs, “aimed at bringing the school closer to the territory”, explains the Ecology assessor and vice mayor, Davide Baccinelli. “To transmit to students, beyond necessary theoretical knowledge, also practical and organizational skills, while simultaneously providing us administrators with detailed and in-depth knowledge of the municipal tree heritage”.
Content and goals of the project
This type of project, in addition to cataloging the types of public trees, offers a complete and detailed overview of their location, species, health status, size, soil type, and other characteristics. Thus, a comprehensive, exhaustive, and highly detailed assessment of the current situation, necessary for intervention to remediate where needed and to plan the future of the tree population.
The findings have also been summarized into a series of graphs showing the distribution of tree species across the territory and their health status. “Overall, it can be considered good; without particular issues,” as Baccinelli clarifies, “except for some areas of the territory.”
Results and collected data
The survey covered all plants located in the public spaces of the urban municipal territory of Lonato, thus constituting the city’s tree heritage. Trees (almost all cypresses) in cemeteries were also included in the census.
All collected data were entered into digital systems, resulting in a rich compilation of insights and details. For example, it emerged that the horse chestnut, cypress, oak, maritime pine, and are the most widespread specimens, each exceeding 100 units.
Among the tree types in Lonato, broadleaf trees lead with 1,615 specimens, followed by conifers with 799, and evergreens with 133. In terms of height, 741 trees measure between 7 and 9 meters, while in terms of growth area, 1,238 are in continuous flower beds (with 453 in single flower beds).
The town also holds the absolute record for the number of trees, with 2,103 specimens compared to 316 in Esenta, 104 in Centenaro, and 55 in all other fractions.
If we measure their girth, most trees have a maximum diameter of 40 centimeters, with only three exceeding 2.8 meters.
“Given the positive results of this collaboration,” concludes Baccinelli, “between the Comune di Lonato and the Agricultural Institute based in San Tomaso, as an assessor we cannot but continue this initiative next year, with new projects concerning our territory.”
