Heritage and carob trees: Where the monumental and landscape intersect

Abstract

<p>We aimed to explore the significance of monumental trees as elements of heritage and their role in interpreting landscapes. Monumental carob trees, characterized by their impressive size and long lifespan, serve as valuable sources of information for understanding the territories they inhabit and the human societies that have preserved them over time. Over the centuries, these carob trees narrate the tale of Mediterranean landscapes, akin to stone monuments, making them authentic natural and cultural treasures of the Mediterranean region. Our findings, based on fields observations in Sicily (Italy) and GIS analysis, suggested that the landscape is an enabling medium through which traditional culture is preserved, local identities are transferred, and rural heritage is acknowledged. We unfold a conception of landscape based on visual, inherited traditional agricultural practices, valued rural heritage, and territorial identity.</p>