#preservetheolivetrees - UNESCO World Olive Tree Day, 26th November 2024
Over 21 million olive trees in Puglia have been decimated by the Xylella bacteria over the last 11 years.
No collective solution exists to preserve the 350000 listed hundreds and thousands of years old olive trees from Ostuni to Monopoli.
IMMEDIATE action is required before it is too late to preserve this unique world heritage and to avoid an incalculable ecological, cultural and economic tragedy and the decimation of the world heritage that the thousand year old trees represent. There is a maximum of two years before all the trees are infected.
A.M.O š³ Puglia (Alberi Monumentali di Ostuni) association is a non profit making organisation to preserve the monumental olive trees in Puglia, by grafting selected trees still not infected and spraying all the trees with treatments in a sustainable land management protocol.
The worldās first preservation zone of 25 hectares has been created for the monumental olive groves in Ostuni within walking distance of the city centre with an objective to reach a park of 100 hectares.
This green zone for the community and visitors will be a centre for bio diversity with a planting programme to include wooded areas, almonds, carrube and fig trees and olive trees resistant to the bacteria and research.
We hope to create a legacy for future generations and protect the Pugliese landscape in a unique joint project between private owners, the association and with the help of the city, the region and Europe
What is Xylella and why is it so deadly?
First discovered in Puglia in 2013, Xylella Fastidiosa is a fast-spreading deadly bacteria carried by insects, that reduces the treeās ability to ingest water & nutrients, drying it out over time. Ostuni has already been in the red-zone for the bacteria for over 3 years with no collective solution and there is a very limited time left to take action before the trees are all infected.
The Grafting Process: Previous & Planned Initiatives
Once infected, the symptoms are irreversible. However, the disease may be slowed down through sustainable land management with fertilizer, watering and treatments to keep the trees healthy. However, until a cure is found, the surest way to preserve tree is to prepare and carefully graft the tree with the Leccino variety of olive, which has proved to be most resistant to the bacteria from research in Italy and Europe EFSA.
Our first test phase began 7 years ago under the supervision of the associationās agronomist Cosimo Leone, and over 600 olive trees have been successfully grafted in the Ostuni area.
The first preservation zone has been defined, and within it , 100 ancient olive trees have been grafted in 2023 and 2024. The 3-year plan is to graft 5,000 trees in preservation zones.
This plan will depend on the generosity of private individuals and companies, the dynamic Ostuni city council and mayor, and regional/ European grants.
Support us by joining the association or making a donation
Ostuni Olive Groves
Our aim with the City of Ostuni is to create the worlds first unique hundred and thousand year olive tree park in the first preservation zone with pathways, bicycle paths and ecotourism throughout the year and at harvest time.
A.M.O.š³Puglia Olive Oil our exclusive olive oil from the hundred and thousand year old trees ( Launch December 2024 !)
Stronger Together
Agronomists, farmers, agricultural cooperative, neighbors, friends all with a single objective : to save Ostuniās monumental olive trees
Join us, and help save Ostuniās ancient olive trees
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