If Trees Could Talk
The Unique and Ancient Beauty of Foreste Casentinesi

Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 11:00 am CT

While our time on Earth is relatively short, we’re fortunate to have trees that have witnessed a great deal of history, and have much to teach us.

In celebration of Earth Day, slow down and step back in time as we virtually visit the Parco delle Foreste Casentinesi. Home to thousand-year old forests, this unique and precious location has witnessed the continuous evolution of nature and its relationship with mankind. Situated on the border of Romagna and Tuscany, it’s not only a national park, but a recognized UNESCO Cultural Site.

During our visit, we’ll talk with a park ranger, and with Lorenzina, the vivacious owner of Il Poderone, a farmhouse agriturismo in the heart of the park. Lorenzina will instantly make you feel at home. For over 50 years she has been "turning the pans," as she says, providing hospitality to park visitors and guests at her inn, as she cooks extraordinary dishes made of passion, local stories and vegetables grown in the surrounding gardens. Nicola, Lorenzina’s nephew, assists her as they cultivate a variety of ancient plants.

The park also contains the Riserva Naturale Integrale di Sasso Fratino. Instituted in 1959, it represents the first totally protected natural area in Italy. In fact, no humans are allowed to enter it, and some of the trees there are more than 500 years old. Two pristine rivers supply water to millions in Italy via breathtaking Lago di Ridracoli.

Of course, the biodiversity of the Parco delle Foreste Casentinesi is a complex thing, made up of thousands of animal and plant species that interact with each other, environments that evolve, and others that are perpetuated for hundreds of years. We look forward to learning more about biodiversity and life in the forest as we celebrate the unparalleled beauty of nature!

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