Good practices

Among arborists and forestry people the saying goes that “the best pruning is the one that is never done!” To limit the development of the crown of a tree, pruning large branches is the best way to condemn it to a slow and painful death. Large cuts open a wide door for many diseases and should be avoided at all costs.

In the arboretum we grow all palms with their ‘petticoat’: the natural layer of dried leaves below the apical growth. In this way you can observe them as they grow in their natural habitat. The petticoat helps them to fight back the attack of boring insects such as the palm weevil.

Shredding pruning residues is a good practice for environmental sustainability: it saves fuel for transport and it reduces landfill. It produces mulch, a valuable garden resource that can be used to increase soil fertility (reducing the use of fertilizers) to control weeds, to protect roots and to retain moisture. It might not be an amazing view but it has a fundamental ecological value for sustainability.

The American pond slider (Trachemys scripta) is an invasive alien species, threatening the native ecosystems. They cannot be released in the wild and in public areas such as this park. The specimens found in this pond have been removed and entrusted to the competent authorities in compliance with the provisions of European and Italian legislation. Those who wish to obtain more information about the care of these animals can contact the Sustainable Development and Protected Areas Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento.

You might find it weird but the greatest damage to a mature tree is caused by walking and trampling underneath its crown causing soil compaction, anoxia and eventually significant root damage. For this reason, you will find a fenced area: the mulch is left during gardening practices to protect the soil.

All veteran trees, included those present in this arboretum, have a higher intrinsic risk of falling branches that can never be totally eliminated, despite all precautions taken such as regular checks on stability and dynamic retaining ropes. So in extreme climatic events such as heavy rainfall, strong winds thunderstorms and snowstorms do not take refuge under the trees but clear the area immediately.

We kindly ask you not to pick mature fruits from trees, leaving them on, you allow all visitors to enjoy the sight of lemons, oranges, tangerines, limes, bergamots, citrons, avocados and many more on their mother tree. This simple act is a sign of respect and care for nature and for your fellow citizens.