Let’s Plant the Future Together!
“Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
This quote inspired us to create the project “Let’s Plant the Future Together,” through which we will fully manage the planting and care of native trees with the goal of combating climate change and preserving the environment in one of the most enchanting places in the world: the Strait of Messina, nestled between Calabria and Sicily.
Shared Ecological Vision
Prince Albert II of Monaco, in his role as President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for Environmental Protection, has expressed great enthusiasm for our initiative.
In the photo, the owner of SCOPELLITI 1887, Alessandro Isola Scopelliti, is pictured with Prince Albert II of Monaco during the project presentation.
Cultivating Green Horizons
We project that the trees planted in 2024 will absorb around 5,000 kilograms (5 metric tons) of CO2 annually. Our commitment to the planet’s health drives us to make a meaningful impact, and this effort represents our concrete contribution to combating climate change.
Leading the Way in Direct Reforestation
We are proud to be among the first companies in the world to directly manage our reforestation and climate improvement initiatives, without relying on external organizations. The trees we plant are situated directly within the territory of our city, Reggio Calabria, in public spaces, and can be visited at any time. This commitment reflects the seriousness and professionalism that have guided us for over 130 years.
Reviving Forgotten Trees
We have decided to plant forgotten or endangered tree species—trees that were once integral to ancient Greco-Roman culture but have since fallen out of cultivation for various reasons.
Our goal is to bring these historic trees back to life, restore them to the natural landscape, and help preserve our ecological heritage for future generations.
1. The Manna Ash Tree (Fraxinus ornus)
The manna ash is an extraordinary tree, rich in history and biblical significance. When its bark is incised, it releases a sap that solidifies upon contact with air, forming the famous manna. According to the Bible, God made manna rain from the sky to feed the Israelites fleeing Egypt during their journey across the Sinai desert.
Calabria and Sicily were the world’s leading producers of manna, exporting it abroad, where it was valued as a natural sweetener due to its low glucose and fructose content.
2. The Sorb Tree (Sorbus domestica)
The sorb tree is a hardy tree that requires little care and boasts remarkable longevity. In Calabria, between the 19th and 20th centuries, when farmhouses were the most vibrant and frequented centers of rural life, the service tree was a dominant crop. Farmers would harvest the fruits, known as sorbs, in October and then allow them to ripen further by placing them in straw or hanging them in clusters. Once fully ripe, the sorbs would turn a characteristic dark brown, ready to be eaten.
The ancient Romans particularly valued this fruit, and it was rarely absent from their tables. According to the ancient Greeks, the service tree was believed to ward off witches and evil spirits from homes, a popular belief that contributed to its widespread presence in the past.
3. The White Mulberry (Morus alba)
The leaves of this tree are the sole food source for the silkworm, a lepidopteran that, during its feeding process, creates the renowned raw cocoon, which is later spun into silk on looms.
This tree is an exceptional anti-pollutant. In addition to the leaves, the roots of the mulberry tree are also capable of performing miracles in purification, absorbing pollutants present in the soil.
4. The Quince (Cydonia oblonga)
The quince is a small tree that has been cultivated by humans for at least 4,000 years. Widespread throughout the Mediterranean, this plant was certainly grown by the Babylonians, as well as in Ancient Greece and the territories of the ancient Romans.
In ancient times, quinces were sacred to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, and in later centuries, they have always been associated with fertility, often used as a symbol of good fortune during weddings.
Until the 1950s, the quince tree was very common in Calabria and Sicily, often used as a rootstock for grafting other trees. It also boasts a truly legendary past, as it was believed to bring good luck to farmers who owned even a single specimen.
5. The Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)
These extraordinary fruits are renowned not only for their sweet and delicious taste but also for their nutritional and therapeutic properties, being rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Remarkably, they contain up to 20 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits.
Since ancient times, jujubes have been used to create alcoholic beverages in many Mediterranean civilizations, including the Egyptians and Phoenicians. Herodotus, for instance, mentioned jujubes whose fermented pulp produced a highly intoxicating liquid. Homer also referred to the state of intoxication caused by jujube liquor in the ninth book of the Odyssey, in the context of the Lotus-Eaters’ enchantment.
6. The White Olive Tree – Leucolea
Leucolea or Madonna’s Olive, is an ancient variety that nearly faced extinction. However, a few wild trees were miraculously rediscovered near an ancient Basilian monastery in the province of Reggio Calabria. This wild olive tree has a rich and sacred history: since antiquity, it has been used to extract Chrism oil, a holy oil traditionally employed in sacraments such as baptism, confirmation, and anointing of the sick.
The olives are unique because, when they ripen, they turn ivory white due to the loss of chlorophyll. The oil extracted from these olives was renowned for its purity: it is white and transparent, making it ideal for ancient sacred rites and also used for lamps in churches, as it burns without producing smoke.
7. The Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua)
This imposing evergreen tree, known for its slow growth and extraordinary longevity, can live up to 500 years. Its majestic canopy and long life have inspired numerous legends and popular beliefs in Calabria, such as the story of hidden treasures, or “truvature,” beneath its branches.
In the past, carob seeds were used as a unit of measurement for gold and gemstones due to their uniform size and weight, approximately 1/5 of a gram. This is where the term “carat” originates, derived from the Arabic word “khirat,” meaning carob seed.
Carobs, with their cocoa-like flavor, are notable for their nutritional properties and low-calorie content. This fruit is also known as “St. John’s Bread,” as legend has it that St. John the Baptist survived almost exclusively on carobs during his time in the desert.
8. The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
This evergreen tree blooms in late autumn, producing clusters of white flowers that bear fruit the following year. It has been mentioned by many, including the Latin poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses and Virgil in the Aeneid. Due to its colors, it became the symbolic plant of Italy.
The fruits of the strawberry tree contain an alkaloid that, if ingested in large quantities, can cause a sense of intoxication and dizziness. This characteristic was already known in antiquity; in fact, Pliny the Elder named the plant unedo (meaning “I eat only one”).
Among the many virtues of the strawberry tree, the most remarkable is undoubtedly its ability to adapt to fires. It is one of the Mediterranean species best suited to recovering from fire, vigorously sprouting new shoots after being exposed to flames.
