Spend half a day planting trees in the fields of Tenute il Maggese to reduce the carbon footprint generated by your trip. Respecting the ethics and principles of permaculture, Salvatore and Stefania are planting hundreds of fruit trees to create a Foodforest and implementing different techniques, such as the syntropic system or the techniques of Regenerative Agriculture. You will visit the first agroforestry system designed in permaculture created in Ogliastra, and become part of an innovative project with a global impact. You will help the young couple plant trees, usually almond and walnut trees together with shrubs such as blueberry plants and eleagnus as well as aromatic herbs such as thyme and sage and many more. You will learn techniques for effective and environmentally friendly planting. You will get to experience step-by-step the various planting processes: digging, putting in compost, planting the tree, mulching and creating the ditch to dam and infiltrate rainwater. You will also learn the techniques of water management, a subject of major importance in this area that is particularly dry in summer but torrential in winter. This way, you will have taken concrete action against climate change and reduced the environmental impact of your trip, while learning many useful notions.
Cost of the experience: from €20 per person (min. 2 people, max. 15)
Alternatively, you can donate the same amount of money and delegate Stefania and Salvatore to plant a tree and its supporting plants in your behalf.
Simply donate €20 for one tree or €50 for 3 trees to the PayPal account agroforestryogliastra@gmail.com. In the donation comment you can enter your first and last name and an address to receive a certificate together with the tax receipt.
All donors will be kept informed, if they provide their email address, on the growth of the trees by email.
The project of the Food Forest, drafted by Giuseppe Sannicandro, started in July 2021. To date, the number of fruit trees planted amounts to over three hundred, with 1600 additional almond and walnut trees still to be planted. The planted trees will absorb CO2 for their entire lifespan, as well as produce humus and biomass, which will help stimulate soil regeneration, thereby helping to fix large amounts of carbon and leading to better water management. By increasing fertility and shade, the agroforestry system will host billions of beneficial microorganisms that will in turn fix carbon, thus making carbon footprint reduction even more efficient.
“We are convinced that implementing environmentally sustainable practices in our work must go hand in hand with reducing the carbon footprints we leave on our planet every day, including in terms of travel”.
To find out more, read this article published by Italia che cambia about the project initiated by Stefania and Salvatore or watch this video about it.
The project covers several areas
It contributes to the reduction of released CO2 and the creation of an oxygen sink offer to the travel of climate-sensitive tourists and ecotourism agencies, but in general to all sensitive citizens
It allows us to consolidate an agricultural reality that from a small income supplement could become a driving activity that is destined to grow and that could create new jobs. On a daily basis, we note increasing attention to the issues of health, nutrition, and disease prevention, as well as the need for areas immediately close to the city where we can enjoy the beauty of nature and create new green lungs
It allows us to strengthen networks in the area by becoming part of the small local supply chains of virtuous processors, and to contribute to the rediscovery of natural farming, which was already traditional for our grandparents, and to the cultivation of cereals in areas that had been abandoned. Furthermore, by working with minor cereals and ancient fruit varieties we promote the biodiversity of the land, the agrarian environment, and the food. By returning to cultivation and promoting agroforestry systems such as ours, we are also promoting new businesses in the area, therefore contributing to its revitalization. Our pilot project could inspire other companies to develop new methods of reclaiming fallow land. As proof of this, there are already two other farms in our network that are ready to plant trees using the same method.
Social aspect