‘Officially’ entered Italy and the criminal was a monkA Jesuit priest named Pierre Nicolas Le Chéron d’Incarville. HE I imported from ChinaWhere it was native in the 18th century. But in Rome, ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima), also known as the tree of the gods or the sky, is not only viewed in a derogatory manner today, but also keeps the authorities in Italy’s capital on their toes, to which even the press has begun dedicating rivers of ink. It spread widely in the city.
This is because ailanthus is an invasive, aggressive and difficult to eradicate species. “This is such a plant that came to italy by mistake. It was believed that there was a silkworm inside, but it was not,” says the famous Italian geologist and naturalist Mario Tozzi. “The thing is multiplies rapidly and everywhere, even on asphalt, it likes humid and hot climates like Rome, harms other plants and is also difficult to eradicate,” he summarizes in an interview with EL PERIÓDICO of the Prensa Ibérica group.
impossible to destroy
Tozzi experienced this firsthand. Between 2006 and 2011, when he was the head of the national park in the Tuscan archipelago, where ailanthus was also established many years ago. project to eliminate. However there is no way and the problem still persists. He encountered a similar situation when he took over this job in 2013. Ancient Appia park in Rome. “Even then you could see it everywhere, because of course it really loves green spaces, although it grows in the most inhospitable places. “It’s very complicated to remove it,” he explains.
Ailanthus is not actually any plant. In addition to adapting to almost any surface, it is also a thermophilic species. Very drought resistant, atmospheric pollution and temperature changes. Likewise, there is also a extraordinary reproductive capacitySince each plant produces hundreds of seeds, when the roots are pruned or broken, the root sprouts can reach up to 15 meters from the parent plant. Same way, being originally from chinaIt is not part of your diet either. animals natives like goats they don’t eat itprobably also because of its strong smell. And even more: It also serves as a ‘hotel’ for other invasive species, “like the brown scattered stink bug and the polyphagous borer bug,” as National Geographic recently recalled.
Also, the point is that it is no longer just a matter of what happened. a plague This disturbs those who are naive about protecting native ecosystems. In a city where road maintenance is often not meticulous, ailanthus is starting to become a thing. threat to road safetyThey report it in the city.
Limits visibility
The plant is “found throughout Rome, but most frequently in ruined and neglected areas such as abandoned areas and old factories, as well as along the roads (…) Where there have been repeated interventions by the Department of Environmental Protection of the Rome City Council,” they receive information from this office. The danger for drivers is “their growth.” may limit visibility “In addition to reducing the roadway, we will also reduce traffic signals or intersections,” they state.
This is exactly what some (angry) Roman citizens complained about; Some of them expressed their displeasure on social media over the massive proliferation of Chinese factories in the city. “There is again an ailanthus forest The complaint “started to occupy the road in Muro Torto (a very central area of Rome)” was made days ago. Light of RomeA Twitter account dedicated to drawing attention to challenges in the city.
Of course, not everyone thinks the same way. Others consider and believe that ailanthus was already part of the Roman landscape provides vegetation and biodiversity to the environment. So much so that it existed even in the past. protests over tree felling from some examples.
The City Council also emphasizes the following: The solution is not simple. This is because “use herbicides This is nearly impossible in almost everything else in the city. European legislation“Because it prohibits the use of glyphosate by spraying, which is the only thing that has a rapid and effective effect on this plant,” they say. For this reason, “larger facilities use the herbicide product as part of the endotherapy treatment.”
However, considering that this treatment can damage the remains found in archaeological sites, this is not always possible. This leaves the only option to mechanically destroy or destroy the plant as soon as it emerges. Periodic cuts to limit growth.