Monumental trees of the Marche Region: monitoring, stability assessment and management guidelines
Published 2026-10-06
Keywords
- Italian monumental trees,
- Visual Tree Assessment (VTA),
- urban and peri-urban forestry,
- risk management,
- tree conservation
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2026 Gianmarco Braconi, Tommaso Spilli, Alessandro Vitali, Fabio Gennaretti, Sergio Murolo, Carlo Urbinati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Abstract
The monumental tree represents a biological and cultural asset of exceptional relevance, constituting a living botanical archive, a legacy of resilience and a reservoir of biodiversity. In Italy, within the national framework established by Law 10/2013, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (MASAF) has promoted a nationwide monitoring program of monumental trees. This study focuses on the monitoring carried out on all the specimens previously recorded in the Marche region and included in the National Register of Monumental Trees of Italy. A monitoring protocol was specifically developed to enable the systematic collection of morphological, ecological, phytopathological and mechanical data. Stability assessment procedures were then conducted in accordance with the technical guidelines of the Italian Society of Arboriculture (SIA). For each tree dendrometric measurements and VTA analyses were performed and, when necessary, also instrumental detection, such as sonic tomography and dendrodensitometry. A total of 113 monumental trees were monitored, predominantly classified as Quercus pubescens and Cedrus libani, measuring dendrometric parameters, assessing structural and functional conditions and prescribing management requirements. Most of the trees are globally in good conditions but, due to their size and age, they are not free of wounds, depressions, fissures and cavities. Targeted interventions, including pruning, dynamic cabling, soil improvement, sonic tomography and valorization measures, were prescribed to reduce risk and enhance conservation and cultural value. Overall, this work, besides accomplishing institutional requirements is a valid contribution to the establishment of a replicable, scientifically grounded operational model for the protection, monitoring and valorization of monumental trees.
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