In Caltanissetta province, a great green patch absorbs the sun’s rays. It’s just a small remnant of the vast expanse of woodland that covered the south-east of Sicily.
It’s dense and shadowy. More than 600 species of plants cover its surface forming thick undergrowth. It smells of clayey earth, wet bark, aromatic herbs.
We can observe similar trees with dissimilar barks, differing for both their consistency and color. It can be smooth and brown or rough and grey.
It’s the cork oak, a plant with the special ability to grow back its bark. In fact, this is an isolating coating that protects the plant from fires. Normally cork oaks live up to 200 years. In rare case, even more.
Right at the centre of this reserve stands the mosaic-like cork oak. It’s a majestic, unique specimen that should be about 500 years old.
Experts from all over the world come here to study this impressive natural monument. According to some sources, it’s the oldest cork oak on earth. According to others, it wouldn’t be the oldest, but still extraordinarily long-lived.
It was discovered only a few decades ago. Before then, it was well hidden in an almost impenetrable wood. Now there’s a path guiding visitors between these patriarchs of bark and leaves.
The solace of walking in it has no price. It comes all of a sudden, disregarding any rational thought, allowing to appreciate the wisdom, silence and grandiosity of this planet.
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