The forest of Vallombrosa

The history

When the first Benedictine monks settled at Vallombrosa (11th century), some silver fir and beech woods were already present. The monks undertook major efforts to conserve these woods, as they supplied their community with timber and food for their herds. Long silver fir trunks were a rare and expensive commodity, as they were largely used for building and restoring houses and palaces in Florence. Therefore, these monks planted and developed extensive fir-woods, taking great care of them.

After the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, the state became responsible for the forest; in 1977, it became a biogenetic natural reserve. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the forest; it is where students from the Forestry Science Department of the University of Florence undergo their ‘practical training’.

The forest

The forest spreads over an area stretching 1,279 hectares, between 450 and 1,450 metres above sea-level. In addition to the silver fir, the most common species are the beech (especially at higher altitudes), the larch and the Douglas fir. At the lower altitudes, you can find chestnut trees, oaks, maples and hornbeams.

Source: www.collinedifirenze.it