Poisoned Poplars in Riva del Garda: Municipality Announces Felling and Rehabilitation of Its Largest Trees
Two ancient Populus nigra on the Spiaggia dei Pini in Riva del Garda have been declared dead after tests detected glyphosate, with the trees standing about 40 meters tall and having trunk girths of 5.2 and 4.38 meters. The poisoning is believed to have occurred in winter 2024-2025. An expert assessment on May 21, 2025 by Dr. Giorgio Maresi of Fondazione Edmund Mach ruled out pathogens and insect feeding; a chemical analysis identified the herbicide, and multiple drill holes at the bases suggested injection of a substance.
Municipal procedures followed as gardeners, under technician guidance, administered repeated injections of organic fertilizers without restoring the trees. The Comune di Riva del Garda filed a complaint with the Carabinieri on May 19, 2025 for damage to public property and environmental pollution, estimating damages at 40,000 euros. A second analysis on April 7 confirmed worsening vegetation, bark detachment, and increasing drill holes, leading to the assessment that the trees were dead and a danger; at a press conference on April 18, the mayor Alessio Zanoni and assessor Gabriele Bertoldi announced planned felling along the lakeside the following week, with costs estimated between 5,000 and 10,000 euros and a plan to replant with plane trees, possibly retaining one trunk as a memorial.
Italian Version