€500,000 set aside to save Rome’s pine trees from deadly parasite

President of surrounding Lazio region says pine tortoise scale problem requires immediate action

The battle is on to save Rome's umbrella pine trees - as much a part of the landscape of the Italian capital as its ancient monuments - from a deadly parasite.

The trees, which offer respite from Rome's summer heat, have become infested with pine tortoise scale, insects originally from North America that are capable of killing pines in two to three years.