Montenegro’s Centuries‑Old Olive Tree Revived Through Targeted Conservation

Located on the rugged foothills of Montenegro, a multi‑year effort to preserve one of the nation’s oldest olive trees — said to date back millennia — has finally borne fruit.
The tree in Bar was harvested in October for the first time in four years after extensive restorative work.
Marija Markoc, executive director of the House of Olives, said it is believed the ancient Greeks introduced the tree.
The House of Olives, a public entity created by the local government in 2022, was tasked with restoring the tree after its health rapidly deteriorated.
Earlier this month, small green olives reappeared on the tree’s gnarled branches, a promising sign for future harvests and a reminder of its deep ties to the nearby village of Mirovica.
Local residents see the tree’s resurgence as a testament to its perseverance and renewed vitality.
Numerous olive trees are scattered throughout the coastal town, several of which are believed to be thousands of years old.
Markoc noted that 2015 laboratory tests estimated the tree’s age at about 2,250 years, though this is not the oldest in the region.
While this age would place the tree among the world’s oldest living olive trees, accurately dating the species is challenging, and previous analyses of similarly ancient trees have struggled to determine exact ages.
A 2024 study of Lebanese olive trees indicated that a specimen roughly twice the size of Mirovica’s could be at least 1,000 years old, whereas most sampled trees were between 500 and 600 years old.

For locals, the tree’s historic roots have made it a symbol of Mirovica, a name derived from the Montenegrin word for peace because it historically served as a neutral meeting place for warring clans.
“It has witnessed many reconciliations and the resolution of blood feuds,” Markoc said.
When the tree’s health declined, researchers found that excessive groundwater — likely caused by urban expansion — threatened its future, prompting years of drainage improvements.
Since the improvements, the tree’s condition has noticeably improved, and last year’s harvest already yielded oil.
Now in bloom again, it attracts large crowds of cruise‑ship passengers and tourists, with 40,000 visitors recorded last year, per the House of Olives annual report.
“We have revitalized the area and ensured the tree a long‑

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