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| Gran Paradiso National Park. (Photo by: Marcoz) |
Italy is home to 22 national parks and 2 more waiting to be declared as such, and more than four hundred nature reserves, wetlands and natural parks. Italian national parks sum up to one and a half million hectars in surface and its environmentalists are constantly fighting for the increase in amount of the protected land. Italy's national parks cover about five percent of its territory and they are very administratively diverse. All protected areas are very important when it comes to flora and fauna preservation and many of the government's programs are dedicated to promoting nature's values.
Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise: Alta Murgia, Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, Arcipelago di La Maddalena, Arcipelago Toscano: Asinara, Aspromonte, Circeo, Cilento e Vallo di Diano, Dolomiti Bellunesi, Cinque Terre, Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna, Gargano, Gennargentu, Gran Paradiso, Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, Majella, Monti Sibillini, Pollino, Sila (Calabria), Stelvio, Val Grande, Vesuvio.
Where: Abruzzo region, some territories are in Lazio and Molise
Coordinates: 41° 45' 51” N, 13° 52' 8” E
Park headquarters: Pescasseroli in the Province of L'Aquila
The park was founded in 1923 and it has successfully carried out its role as the preserver of species like chamois, the Italian Wolf and Marcian Brown Bear for years. It is now one hundred times bigger than the original protected area. Other dominant species include wild boar, White-backed Woodpecker and roe deer. Flora composition in the park is dominated by beeches, Silver Birches and Black and Mountain pines.
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| Abruzzo landscape. (Photo by: Riccardobr) |
Official reports claim that there are around one hundred bears but the actual figure is closer to thirty. The remaining population is under constant threat resulting from poaching and development in Abruzzo. Deers are represented by a larger number, although they are not easy to spot. The number of bird species found in the park is too big to list, but bird-spotters will be pleased to know that some of the interesting species include the jay, the white-backed and green woodpeckers and the hoopoe. The flora is extremely rich and diverse and there are more than two thousand species found in the area. The most interesting flower of the park is Cypripedium calceolus or lady's slipper (a yellow and black orchid). The beech is the predominant tree with over sixty percent of the area covered by it. Other trees include Silver Birch, the Mountain Pine and the Black Pine. The highest mountain peaks in the park include Mount Petroso (2247m) and Mount Marsicano (2242m). Waters include the Sangro River which flows in the south east direction from its rise in the Devil's Pass and runs through the Lago di Barrea before exiting the park and turning north-east. Other rivers are the Melfa and Giovenco.
Where: main islands of the Archipelago, some minor islands and cliffs
Website: www.islepark.it
Arcipelago Toscano National Park is the largest marine park in Europe with the surface of 56,766 hectares of sea and 17,887 hectares of land.
Area: 365 square kilometers
Where: divided between provinces of Forli Cesena, Arezzo and Florence
This national park protects some of the most stunning areas of the Apennines. The park is home to two monasteries and rich wildlife, including deers, wild boars, foxes and close to one hundred bird species. The park's dense forests are perfect for an escape from hot summers and are made for walking and enjoying the serenity of the scenery. There are virtually countless walking and trekking paths that transect the area. Interesting sights include the Ridracoli, a lake and a hundred meter-high dam on the Bidente river, Acquacheta, the waterfall that Dante mentioned in his Divine Comedy and the Camaldoli monastery. The park's rich fauna consists of the Apennines Wolves, Barn Owls, Boars, Common Buzzards, Eagles, Eurasian Badgers, Fallow Deers, Martens and many more.
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| The Top of Vesuvius. (Photo by: unknown author) |
| Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio, Italy |
Where: around the volcano, Mount Vesuvius, east of Naples
The dominant role of the park is to preserve the only active volcano found on Europe's mainland, educating about the correct human integration in the environment, promoting educational and scientific values of the park and preserving the areas extreme geological and historical value. Other missions include. The park's highest peak reaches 1,282 meters and the crater is currently 650 meters wide and some 230 meters deep. The vegetation inside the park is tipically Mediterranean and the Somma side is covered with trees like oak, chestnut and maple due to the damper climate. There are over 900 plant species inside the volcanic complex with 18 endemic ones, like the Helichrysum litoreum. Other interesting species include orchids (20 species) and birches. Fauna species include the Wood mouse, the Stone marten, the Hare and the wild Rabbit. There are about 140 bird species with the Peregrine falcon, the Buzzard, the Sparrow hawk and the Redstart invertebrates community includes close to being the most notable ones. The fifty species of butterflies.
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| Parco nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga: Castel Manfrino (XIII secolo) presso Macchia da Sole. (Photo by: unknown author) |
Where: 135,000 of 160,000 hectars are in the Abruzzo region
Administrative center: Via del Convento, 67010 Assergi - L'Aquila
Tel: 0862 60521
Fax: 0862 606675
Email: ente@gransassolagapark.it
Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga is the largest Italian national park with over two thousand square kilometers mountainous terrain can be seen by using more than in surface. Its predominantly320 kilomters of paths that crisscross the area. The majority of tourists decide to take the climb to Corno Grande(2912m), it is some nine kilometers long and the trail should be snow-free between early June until late September. Another interesting itinerary includes ussing the Grand Highway of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park from Montorio al Vomano to Amiternum.
