Vegetational Center – Castegner Dea Madoneta

For nature lovers in Crespano del Grappa, there is an unmissable destination: the Astego Vegetational Garden, in the locality of Castagner dea Madoneta, where a centuries-old chestnut tree represents one of the symbolic and traditional places of the town. From its original purpose as a forest nursery, it was subsequently transformed into an Educational Garden. Currently, the management of the Garden is by Veneto Agricoltura, which deals with innovation in the primary sector at a regional level. Events, guided tours, and workshops, on the other hand, are organized by the Salvatica Association. The site is located at an altitude of 450 meters and is structured on 16 terraces. Walking along them, one can recognize the various ecosystems from the summit of Monte Grappa to the plains below, with the typical flora of these places, including rare wild orchids. A mountain stream and a roccolo for bird hunting have also been reproduced. A second section groups plants by family and by use (apicultural, edible, aromatic, etc.), while the lower part is dedicated to mushrooms. At the Vegetational Garden, guided tours, courses, and workshops for adults, children, and families can be undertaken. Educational experiences for schools are offered at all levels of education. Environmental education workshops consider vegetational environments and trees, animal tracks, and the world of pollinating insects and soil. For more advanced levels of study, activities on biodiversity, the concept of landscape, plant communities, and recent discoveries in plant neurobiology are proposed.