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The Crogiolo hosted a culturally and scientifically significant event: the keynote lecture by Stefano Mancuso, an internationally renowned scientist and one of the world’s foremost experts in plant neurobiology. The event, titled“The Voice of Trees”, took place within the conference “Forests and Future: Citizens and Businesses for the Apennine Forests,” organized by the Municipality of Sassuolo and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park—representing organizations supporting sustainable forest management initiatives benefiting nearly 30,000 hectares of woodland along the Apennine ridge in the provinces of Modena, Lucca, Massa Carrara, Parma, and Reggio Emilia.
In his address, Mancuso led the audience on a captivating journey to uncover the intelligence of the plant world, offering a novel and profoundly inspiring perspective on the role of plants in the life of our planet and in shaping a sustainable future. Through his latest essay, “The Voice of Trees”, he presented remarkable reflections and data that challenge the anthropocentric view of nature, narrating a story that calls for the protection of biodiversity.
In the book, set in the imaginary kingdom of Edrevia, the trees not only speak and walk, but also experience emotions, engage in discussions, love, and write books. It is a world in which plant life takes center stage and is conscious, capable of responding to environmental threats with courage and determination. When their home is endangered, threatened by the climate crisis, trees decide to embark on a journey in search of answers and solutions, new alliances, and different horizons. In Mancuso’s words: “During the journey, we brushed with a branch against the effects of climate imbalances on the world: if we wanted to save Edrevia, there was not a minute to lose.”
The event attracted great participation, confirming the growing interest in the themes of environmental sustainability and the responsible management of natural resources.