Casoi da Rin

Pollarding is a type of coppicing that involves cutting the tree back to a height of 1–3 meters, thereby encouraging the growth of new branches (suckers). It was a technique widely used in the past to obtain both firewood and green branches from the same tree; in the case of the ash tree, these green branches could be used as emergency feed for livestock or mixed with hay to promote milk production.

Today, this coppicing technique is strongly discouraged, especially for roadside trees, as it causes serious damage to the trees. When a tree is pollarded, its canopy is drastically reduced—sometimes completely eliminated—which halts its growth because the plant is left without leaves for photosynthesis. The production of new leaves—larger than the previous ones to capture more light—requires a tremendous amount of energy, and this weakening can also make the tree susceptible to fungal and pathogen attacks, generally reducing its resistance to external stress. These consequences must be taken into account when working with urban greenery, where pollarding is now prohibited—though still widely practiced—because it achieves the opposite effect of proper pruning, namely, it tends to make the tree more unstable and dangerous to public safety.

In mountainous and rural areas, these practices are still accepted out of necessity. As mentioned, in the case of the ash tree, pollarding could—and still can—be practiced to periodically harvest timber and branches.

Near the meadow, there is also a crucifix and a masonry shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, symbols of the close bond between rural tradition and religious faith that has always characterized these areas.