Premium olive oil from biodiverse olive groves in Tuscany

Sustainable food production and biodiversity are not mutually exclusive! The Oliveti biodiversi project aims to preserve and create biodiverse olive grove habitats in Tuscany where local flora and fauna can flourish. Now gebana is the first provider of premium olive oil produced through these biodiverse farming efforts. Guest article by oliveti-biodiversi.org

What is the Oliveti biodiversi pilot project?

The farmland between Grosseto and Siena in Tuscany is home to remarkable flora and fauna, including a number of rare species. Now that the agricultural use of this land is being abandoned, the hilly landscape is gradually giving way to scrubland, while the land on the plain is farmed too intensively. In both cases, biodiversity in the olive groves is declining. This is why the association "Produkte aus Naturschutz-Projekten" (products from nature conservation projects) launched the Oliveti biodiversi project in 2023. It supports and brings together producers in sustainable olive growing and helps preserve and promote biodiversity in olive groves.

The goal is to go one step further than organic. For example, the new guidelines for olive growing require farms to maintain conservation areas, practice staggered mowing and take specific enhancement measures to promote target species and biodiversity. The newly launched biodiversity label recognises the farms involved in the project as working in harmony with nature.

What does the biodiverse label guarantee?

While promoting biodiversity, the Oliveti biodiversi project also emphasises the importance of not working in the same way everywhere and going beyond the minimum standards. Instead, it supports the producers' own initiatives and creates an incentive system. The biodiverse quality seal recognises farms that actively implement measures to promote biodiversity in their specific environment. The guidelines consist of a general mandatory section and individual measures specific to each grove that vary depending on the target species in that area.

The mandatory part of the guidelines includes:

• Growing methods in line with the principles of organic farming (AIAB guidelines)
• Staggered mowing in olive groves
• 15% conservation areas to protect defined target species
• Reduced use of heavy machinery in olive growing and harvesting

Additional measures are developed according to the individual growing areas with the overall goal of maintaining or increasing the structural diversity of the landscape and promoting the greatest possible plant diversity and continual flowering. These efforts also boost the insect population, which is the food source for all insectivorous species of birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians.

Individual and specific measures include:

• Restoration of dry-stone walls to create hiding spots and hibernation hollows for a variety of small animals
• Minor soil disturbance to promote arable flora and various wild bees
• Planting, support and protection of specific plants for caterpillars of rare butterfly species to feed on
• Mixed farming by planting fruit trees

Who are the producers of biodiverse olive oil?

At this time, 10 farms with around 9'000 olive trees in total are taking part in the project. They are located in Tuscany in the provinces of Siena, Grosseto and Arezzo. The project members support, encourage and motivate each other at regular meetings, where they discuss the biodiverse and sustainable management of the groves.

So far, three companies have been supplying gebana with olive oil:

La Torre alle Tolfe

Mania Spalding, Siena SI

• 3'500 olive trees on a large organic vineyard.
• Vast vineyards and diverse areas containing olive groves with varying characteristics (dry, dynamic, with strong soil erosion, etc.).
• Website: latorrealletolfe.com

Le Pianore

Filippo Micillo, Monticello Amiata GR

• 1'450 olive trees on an expansive, biodynamic vineyard with an orchard.
• The area has been managed in close harmony with nature for several years, offering a precious habitat for plants and animals.
• Website: lepianore.it

La Permalosa

Sascha Osterle, Monteriggioni & Poggio alle Rose SI

• 750 olive trees in two separate groves near Siena.
• Olive wood cuttings are piled up around the roots of diverse olive trees to form enticing structures for reptiles and many small creatures.

Gebana pays the producers a fair price per liter for their premium olive oil, giving the farms the resources they need to put in the extra work required for cultivating their groves in harmony with nature. Whenever you buy their olive oil, you are helping preserve the traditional agricultural landscape and a rich habitat where local Tuscan animal and plant species can flourish.