The Great Oak of Fiesole, in Tuscany, grew close to where I lived for most of my life. I can't say how old it may have been, surely at least one century, perhaps more. In the picture (of a few years ago), you see how large it was in comparison with Cristina.
The oak was a feature of my world. I have been living in that area for nearly 50 years, and I don't remember when exactly I discovered this giant tree, but I can tell you that it was the target of many attempts of mine to speak with trees. I must admit that, despite my efforts, the Great Oak never spoke back to me in intelligible words. But I often had the sensation that we were communicating with each other in ways that didn't imply words.
I moved to a different location in 2019, on the other side of the town. But I went back a few times to visit the Great Oak. Unfortunately, last summer, I discovered that it was no more. Still standing, but dead.
I don't know what killed the great tree. There were clear signs of fungal infection: black spots on the bark. That doesn't mean that the tree was killed by a fungus -- fungi are opportunistic creatures, they may have attacked the bark when the tree was already dead or sick. One possibility was the drought that struck the area near Florence last summer. But other oaks near the Great Oak survived, so it is not likely.
We'll probably never know what killed the Great Oak, but it is a reminder that no holobiont on this planet is immortal. This tree went through its cycle, and now new trees will grow in its place. It is the way things are and have to be.
One curious thing, though, near the dead tree I noted a plastic tube that went all the way to the nearest house, a hundred meters away. My explanation is that someone noted that the tree was sick, maybe they noted the yellow leaves, and so they tried to save it by irrigating it. Clearly, I was not the only one who appreciated that tree. It didn't work, but it shows that sometimes people truly love trees. So, there is some hope that trees and humans can live together in harmony on this planet!
Here is a picture of my wife, Grazia, hugging another large tree, a cypress, not far from where the Great Oak stood. I think she can speak to trees better than me!
