25 Nov Italian olive tree: quality of wood respecting the local economy
Mediterranean plant par excellence, generous for the fruits and the oil that is obtained, the olive tree (Olea Europea) is not among the most used woods and in carpentry, both for the knotty and discontinuous structure of the branches, and for the very little availability to cut.
The olive is a heavy and resistant wood, used for making artefacts and floors, appreciated for its unmistakable character and appearance with strong contrast veins. It is a wood difficult to work, not available in large tables, often only in small pieces that must be worked with craftsmanship to produce quality artifacts.
The Seralvo olive wood, 100% Italian, comes from the plain of Gioia Tauro: “A unique place in the world where the olive trees reach even 30 meters high – explains Alberto Seralvo – Majestic plants whose trunk reaches even two meters in diameter, with branches of 50/60 cm that make the use of wood possible in carpentry ”.
The nice thing is that Italian olive wood is harvested respecting plants, returning them to active production, to the benefit of the local agricultural economy. “These are ancient olive groves planted over 1000 years ago – says Seralvo -. In the absence of pruning, the plants were able to grow freely well beyond the heights compatible with the usual techniques of harvesting and beating olives “.
The European Union has made funds available to restore the olive groves of the Piana di Gioia Tauro to olive oil production. A useful recovery for the development of the local economy with an agricultural vocation that is carried out by cutting the branches over the 5 meter height of the plant, without affecting the trunks. An operation that, on the one hand, makes available timber of useful quality in carpentry (the branches are linear and workable), on the other, it facilitates the collection of olives that must be pressed within 24 hours in order to be able to give high quality oil.
Calabrese olive wood is today among the 170 essences available in the Seralvo warehouse, both as boards and as veneers.
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