Cultivating forests.

Not everyone knows just how long it takes for an oak tree to complete its life cycle in a forest in the Burgundy.That is, starting from seedlings that then shoot upwards, healthy and strong, and mature so that its wood can be made available to man, but only after it has spread its own acorns and given life to innumerable other trees. On average it takes 180 years, according to the regulations drafted for the management of sustainable wood forests. This means that more than five working generations must watch the forest grow to ensure its future. Today we can take advantage of a precious material that has been safeguarded for almost two centuries, making us the heirs of those who came before us.

And it is our task to be equally generous and ensure that new trees have the chance to grow for the benefit of future generations. Serit arbores, quae alteri saeculo prosint — “plant trees as they will serve in centuries to come” — Cato the Elder (or Censor) once said. Is that not perhaps one of the greatest expressions of long term planning ever? And it perfectly expresses Listone Giordano’s own vision, its mission. But the company is not just repeating simple words, it has,for more than a century, had a direct commitment to responsible management of forests.