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The beautiful pine forest that surrounds the higher parts of Villacidro and completely covers the slopes of Mount Omo and Mount Cuccureddu, on which the town stretched out, represents homage to the immense environmental sacrifice of this land, like the rest of Sardinia had to endure in past centuries. These mountains were once covered in Mediterranean shrub, Holm-oak woods and cork oak which were completely destroyed during the Savoy reign; they were needed to fuel the fusion furnace of the nearby foundry that ran from 1743 to1806 and the various machines used in mining activities in the surrounding municipal districts.
In 1888 the Villacidro government decided to restore the mountains’ original splendor and protect the town from bad weather conditions that deforestation had seriously worsened, with the planting out of 500 pines. The small plants took root easily, many more came, and in a just a few years there were 130.000. Villacidro gained from its beauty and the healthiness of its air by attracting numerous holiday makers, mainly from Cagliari, as they came to take refuge from the suffocating heat of the city during the summer months.
Author’s words
"…When I look at these tall and scaly trees, that at first appear very old, yet are in fact about the same age as mother and father, [...] I love to think of grandpa….as a small benevolent factor of that amazing land San Silvano." (Giuseppe Dessì - San Silvano)
