J - 133 : Romans loved Chestnut Trees

Stone Pine Trees dominate the Italian Peninsula - I planted 20 of them in my Garden

This year’s journey from Malta to Pozzuoli will take us along mountainous coasts, many covered by large forest. Some are ancient. Others planted during reforestations over the last 100 years. During summer time, there are often forest fires attracting international media attention. Was it always like this? Were forests in Roman time also frequently on fire? Were they actually the same forests?

AI Photo of Bombardier Waterbombers. They fly close but not that close. On a real Photo you would see only one. These Planes are used everywhere around the Mediterranean.

Southern Italy’s forests are diverse. Their composition varies with elevation. It is a mix of deciduous and evergreen species. Closer to the shores we will see Holm and Cork Oakes, many Stone Pines, Ashes and Eucalyptus trees. A bit higher up on the slopes we also find Chestnuts. Probably out of sight beyond 800 meter altitude, there are Black Pines, Silver Firs, Beech trees and a few Maples.

Map of Italian Forests. Green = Forests in 1936; Yellow

Reforested Area since 1936 to today

Whilst media often blame climate change for the high number of forest fires in Southern Italy, the root cause is more home made.

• As rural populations move to urban spaces, forests are not tended any longer. In the past, locals used dead trees and branches as firewood. Nowadays, nobody clears the underwood anymore. Highly flammable dead wood is the perfect fuel for wildfires

• To accelerate reforestation, the Italian government planted many non-native but fast growing trees. Unfortunately, these species are highly flammable due to their oil or resin (cypress, mediterranean pines, eucalyptus trees). When they burn, they explode.

Eucalyptus Trees were imported from Australia since the 19th Century not only to Reforest but also to Drain Swamps ridden with Malaria. Eucalyptus Trees need lots of Water.

Roman forests looked different. During the Roman climate optimum (200 BC to 200 AD), the climate was warmer and more humid. We tend to forget that today’s Libya was arable land and supplied Rome with wheat. Leptis Magna, its capital, was a flourishing agricultural center. 2’000 years ago, average temperatures were 2 degrees higher; the air carried 15% more humidity. There was thus more rainfall during summer. Trees were taller and mightier. There were majestic oak tree and magnificent stone pine forests on the Italian peninsula.

Lepis Magna on the Libyan Coast is one of the best preserved Roman Towns. It was once a florishing and busy agricultural Center

The majestic Roman forests suffered from overuse though which led to the country's slow but steady deforestation

• Romans made steel on a pre-industrial scale and produced 80'000 tons a year. Making one kilo of steel required 1 kg of charcoal or 10 kg of dry wood. Rome needed 800’000 tall trees assuming an average weight of 1 ton per tree. An oak needs 8 x 8 meters surface to grow a full crown and a sizable trunk = 15’000 trees per square kilometer. Roman steel making burnt 53 sq km of forest every 12 months.

• The need for fire wood did far more damage. Wood was people's primary heating material. Given Rome’s preference for underfloor heating and hot public baths, the consumption was huge. An average family burnt 2’000 kg p.a. to stay warm and cook. This corroborates with the burn ratio of my fireplace in the South of France. Assuming there were 10 million Roman families (population size 60 - 70 millions), 20 million tons of wood were burnt. If half was dead wood collected from the forest floors, still 666 sq km of forest needed to be cut - every year.

• Last but not least, timber was vital for building and ship construction. Could not find a number to quantify the volume. In any case, the number was large.  

Progress of Deforestation from 1000 BC to 1000 AD

I guess that the Roman empire lost every year about 1’000 square kilometers of forest. Given forest’s slow growth, deforestation became a real problem for the Romans. Fire wood and construction material became difficult to source and had to be procured from remote places. Deforestation also contributed to soil erosion and the silting of coastal areas. We should remember that Pisa once was a port. Roman authorities thus "invented" forest management. Roman people were ordered to plant faster growing trees.

A Chestnut Tree high up in the Italian Apennine

One solution to deforestation was the planting of chestnut trees which were imported from the Black Sea. Chestnuts trees grow twice as fast as oak. Still, their wood is dense and hard. It is ideal for construction. A chestnut tree takes only 20 years to grow up to 20 meters hight.

Chestnuts sold in Aubenas Market in October 2025

Most of us know chestnuts as the small, sweet fruit you buy roasted in the winter from a street vendor. In the Ardeche, chestnut is used for furniture. My dining tables, chairs, cupboards and book shelves are made from it. It is as durable and beautiful as oak.

My Chestnut Table made from solid blocks - no Veneer!

Chestnuts have one more advantage. The carbohydrate density of chestnuts is higher than wheat and potatoes. Given that chestnut trees love drained slopes and medium altitude, this was also a way to improve the nutrition of people living higher up. Grinded chestnuts make a good flour. Considered as poor peoples' food, it fell out of favour after World War II. But given that it is gluten free, it made a welcome comeback recdently. My green grocer in the Ardeche sells it again. It is ideal for baking and makes great pies.

Spread of Chestnut Trees during the Roman Empire (yellow) - It is not entirely clear when the first Chestnut Trees arrived on the Italian Peninsula

To return to the original questions. There were occasional forest fires in Roman time but far fewer. The summers were wetter, forest floors cleared and there were no inflammable trees like Mediterranean Fir and Eucalyptus. The indigenous oaks and stone pines stood apart. The trees we see today were already here. Even the imported chestnuts. Greek and Romans settlers added olive and almond orchards, two trees which are also fire resistant. Forests were bigger, trees were mightier. But we would recognize them.  

Sparsely forested Coast north of Taormina - there were more Trees during Roman Time