Massive decline of European olive groves harms nature and culture, but solutions exist

Across Mediterranean Europe, olive groves are in decline from a range of factors, from disease to depopulation. In Italy alone, there are roughly 440 million abandoned olive trees, and the ecological, cultural and socioeconomic impacts from the loss are devastating, explains the latest guest on the Mongabay Newscast. Still, solutions exist to help turn the tide of this under-discussed problem.

Federica Romano is the program coordinator and UNESCO Chair on Agricultural Heritage Landscapes at the University of Florence. On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast she discusses the drivers of the degradation and abandonment of olive groves, how ecological factors and human-induced climate change exacerbate these, and the consequences for biodiversity and wildlife in Europe, where olive oil isn't just an economic institution, but also a significant cultural one.

"Olive groves hold [a] deep cultural significance that goes far beyond agriculture [and] food production across Europe," she says. "Olive trees have symbolized peace, resilience and continuity through thousands of years, appearing in religious contexts, but also in arts and historical narratives."

The Mongabay Newscast is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify, and previous episodes are also accessible at our website's podcast page.

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Mike DiGirolamo is the host & producer for the Mongabay Newscast based in Sydney. Find him on LinkedIn and Bluesky.

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Timecodes

(00:00) Intro

(01:52) The degradation and abandonment of olive groves

(03:27) Ecological and cultural importance

(07:14) Rural depopulation

(11:00) Environmental threats to olive groves

(15:32) Solutions and adoption schemes

(17:29) Agroforestry and agroecology solutions

(24:03) Fake olive oil

(25:40) How you can help