The “Carlo Siemoni” Forest Museum in Badia Prataglia is dedicated to the bohemian forest engineer Karl Siemon, called to manage the Casentino forests for the Grand Duke of Tucany Leopold II in 1837. There are photos, giant prints of flowers and wildlife of the Apennines, a model of the geology of the land, reconstructions of natural environments, a xyloteque and taxidermy mammals from the Apennines.
Next to the museum there is the Arboretum, the oldest one in Italy, built in the mid-19th century by Siemon, to create a space for experimentation and acclimatisation of exotic forest species, indigenous and centuries-old trees of many varieties. In total, there are 139 species over three hectares, coming from all over the world, including giant sequoias, Spanish fir and Japanese Cedar. From the 1950s to the present day, the Arboretum has been gradually expanded: the numerous tree species introduced here serve not only as an important tool for learning about vegetation, but also as a historical record of unquestionable value.
