Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano

Appennino Tosco Emiliano National Park

Appennino Tosco Emiliano National Park is the youngest among the Italian national parks: as a matter of fact, it has been established with a decree by the President of the Republic on 21st May 2001 and includes two regional parks and four state nature reserves.
At the moment, the Park Authority is entrusted to the direction of the President Fausto Giovanelli. The activities and services are managed by the local communities.

Nature and History on the Two Park Slopes

Between Cisa and Forbici Passes, the forest ridges separating Tuscany from Emilia give way to a real mountain environment. The summits of Alpe di Succiso, Mt. Prado, and Mt. Cusna go beyond the 2,000 meters, the forests give way to rocks, lakes, and high-mountain grasslands. At lower altitudes, on the slope of Emilia, the surly Pietra di Bismantova dominates the landscape with its vertical walls.
The variety of exposures and altitudes leads to the presence of a particularly varied flora. At lower altitudes, the forests are formed by chestnut trees and oaks, at higher altitudes by beech trees and silver firs; beyond the higher range of these species there are the bilberry moorlands characterizing the northern Apennines. The list of herbaceous plants and flowers includes dozens of rare and endemic species.
Waters, grazing lands, and woodlands have drawn man to these mountains since the dawn of time. The importance of the roads climbing over Lagastrello, Cerreto, Pradarena, and Radici Passes is witnessed by the presence of imposing medieval fortresses. In the forests there are small churches, ancient paved streets, and stone and straw buildings like the so-called "tegge" characterizing the Reggiano valleys.
Here the silver fir, which is very rare in the Apennines, spontaneously grows in Ozola valley, on Mt. La Nuda and Mt. Ventasso. In the high-mountain grasslands, a typical alpine species like the marmot has been introduced and has perfectly adapted to the environment. Its presence has favored the increase in number of the Golden Eagle, for which the marmot is one of the favorite preys. In the grazing lands at the foot of Pania di Corfino, the National Forest Service has created the Botanic Gardens of Orecchiella, one of the most interesting destinations of the Apennines if you are fond of rare plants.

The Landscape

The territories of Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park develop from the main ridge of the Apennines to its surrounding hills and are characterized by a great variety of exposure and altitudes generating different environments: from the coldest and barest ones to forests and hills in which man integrated more or less significantly over the centuries.

(the following links all lead to Italian texts)

• Summits
• Valleys and Rivers
• Lakes
• Pietra di Bismantova
• The Triassic Gypsum Formations
• The Royal Fir Tree Forest
• Logarghena Meadows

Further information

Flora

The territory of the National Park consists of a complex series of different environments with an extraordinary variety of vegetation and plant species. Bilberry moorlands, summit grasslands, beech tree and oak tree woodlands, conifer reforestation areas, chestnut groves and precious peat bogs characterize the landscape and the Park territory.

(the following links lead to Italian texts)

• Primula apennina
• Logarghena Jonquils
• Abetina Reale Woodland
• Chestnut grove
• Relicts
• Endemic species
• Rare and endangered species
• Beech tree woodland
• Veline Woodland
• Val Parma Forests

Further information

Wildlife

The territory of the National Park includes a great variety of environments enabling several animal species to find the ideal conditions to live and reproduce.

(the following links lead to Italian texts)

• Wolf
• Eagle
• Red Deer
• Peregrine
• Roe Deer
• Buzzard
• European Snow Vole
• Alpine Newt
• Bats

Further information