If you’ve walked the streets of Rome, you’ll know that it’s not only the view of the Colosseum that makes Via dei Fori Imperiali worth exploring on foot – it’s the verdant, umbrella-like canopy of leaves which line the avenue, courtesy of the city’s iconic Stone pine trees.
However, work crews were seen chopping down several of the street’s trees last week, which connects the amphitheatre with Piazza Venezia, after a decision by city authorities.
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But, why? Well, in January and February three of the pines were toppled which subsequently injured three pedestrians. As a result, city authorities conducted stability tests on the pines and found that 12 of the 36 along the street were at risk of falling, while 24 were rendered safe or in need of more thorough assessments.
There are around 54 in the area, and lots are thought to be roughly 120 years old. However, their fragility can be attributed to their age, as well as the combination of extreme heat and heavy rainfall, long-term urban stress and an invasive pest known as Pine Tortoise Scale.
While those remaining safety checks are carried on on the last few trees, Rome officials reopened part of the avenue on Monday February 23, and it’s not all bad news for the Pine tree population, as ‘the removed [ones] will be replaced with specimens of the same species, of suitable size and age,’ according to Travel Tomorrow.
More about Rome’s pine trees
Officially named the Italian Stone Pine (or Pinus pinea, if you want its botanical name), Rome’s pine trees are as integral a part of the city’s streets as ancient ruins and the sampietrini-lined alleys.
They’ve reportedly been planted in the city since the Roman Republican era, they inspired Ottorino Respighi’s famed poem Pines of Rome, and also provide much-need shade to the streets below during stuffy summer days. A rather important asset, right?
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