Protected areas and Parks

PARCO NATURALE DELL’ADAMELLO

The Parco dell’Adamello lies in the heart of the alpine range, on the the Rhaetian Alps, and includes the Lombardia side of the Adamello group, in the north-eastern part of the province of Brescia. It extends for 51,000 hectares (510 km²), from the Tonale Pass to that of Crocedomini; to the east, its territory ends where the Lombardia Region borders the Trentino – Alto Adige Region; westwards, its boundary is formed by the upper Oglio which is the 5th longest river in Italy. The Parco dell’Adamello is located on the left bank of the Vallecamonica. Heading southwards from Tonale, the Park includes the following towns: Ponte di Legno, Temù, Vione, Vezza d’Oglio, Incudine, Edolo, Sonico, Malonno, Berzo Demo, Cedegolo, Cevo, Saviore dell’Adamello, Paspardo, Cimbergo, Ceto, Braone, Niardo, Breno and Prestine. The importance of the Parco dell’Adamello has increased due to its position, it acts as a bridge between the two parks with which it borders: to the east theAdamello Brenta Park (Trentino), and to the north the Stelvio Park (which confines with the Engadina Swiss National Park). The Parco dell’Adamello is the biggest and most fascinating park which lies at the southern tip of a protected area spanning 250.000 hectares, which is found in the heart of Europe.
The Adamello Group, home of the largest glacier in Italy (a surface of about 18km² according to current calculations), offers an aureole conformation. From the central glaciers of the culminating plateau, mountainous crests and chains begin and in turn are integrated in the subgroups of the Baitone, Frisozzo and Blumone. Peaks, crests and mountains dominate the system of numerous valleys spread all over the Park, so as to divide the several chains. Among these going from north to south, the main valleys are: Narcanello Valley, Valbione, Avio, Vallaro, Paghéra di Vezza d’Oglio, Finale, Gallinéra, Rabbia, Malga, SavioreFIienile, Salarno, Adamé, Paghéra di Ceto, Re, Fa, Stabio, Valli, Bona, Cadino and Càffaro.
In order to find out more about the Park’s wonders, in their amazing natural environment, it is necessary to explore the park on foot. In the last years, nearly all the natural roads and paths have been brought into use with appropriate signs to assist in guiding tourists; as for the paths (a network of almost 1000 km), they are capable of satisfying any type of need, from the simple family excursion along tracks through the woods, to the thrilling and demanding alpine ascents at high altitudes, perhaps including the crossing of the legendary Pian di Neve.
In some areas of the Park it is possible to travel by mountain-bike or horse and follow the mule-tracks that cross the mixed forests of conifers and broad-leaves. Among the paths, Number 1 is the most important. The “Adamello High Trail” is about 50 km long and crosses the whole Park. The natural environment of the park presents an exceptional richness of flora and vegetation, with a remarkable presence of peculiarities and the typical Alpine fauna (roe deer, chamois, deer, ibex, etc.).

SORGENTE FUNTANI
Riserva Naturale Parziale Biologica

The spring “Funtanì di Nalmase” is situated on the right shore of the Agna stream which flows through the Val Degagna from the village of Treviso Bresciano. The importance of this small reserve is due to the discovery of a rare endemism of fauna found in the cave of the Sorgente Funtanì. The endemism is made up of small mollusks of sweet water discovered by the experts of the Società Italiana di Malacologia which, some decades ago, prosalamandramoted broad research on the springs of the Alps. As a result of this research the experts Pezzoli and Toffoletto demanded the protection of this place, which was classified in “Carta dei Biotopi d’Italia” in 1971. In this spring, together with another two located in near proximity, respectively at north and south, are found almost all the mollusks living in the waters of Lombardy. These organisms appear to the naked eye as common minute shells. However, they are extremely rare due to the particular conditions they need to sustain life. The purity of the water plays an important role in their survival.
Even if ordinary people consider the pool of water as a modest spring, the naturalists, who examined it, found evidence of various microenvironments that remain different due to factors such as the minor or major speed of the current, the different temperature, the presence of more or less light, the presence or not of determinate vegetal species and the presence of stones, mud or gravel, etc. All these different factors determine the settling of micro-mollusks which spread out in the pool of water depending on their particular needs. All of the analyzed species need water with rather low temperatures and a certain degree of hardness, which indicates the presence of dissolved mineral salts that are vital in building their protective shell. The equilibrium of this ecologic niche is extremely delicate, therefore the need to protect the water-bearing basin of the spring is of major importance. For this reason an enlargement of the protected area of 92 hectares has been proposed. From a geological point of view the Sorgente Funtanì is an accidental spring born from a fracture in the rocky strata. The spring water comes from a source found 9 metres underground that has found its way to the surface through a small fissure of 10cm in length. This spring supplies the pool with some of the water, while the rest is supplied by the basin of the spring which is surrounded by vegetation.
It is possible to find various types of vegetation around the spring that are typical of this environment: chestnut, hornbeam and hop hornbeam, oak trees, etc. Six hundred different species of flowers have been found in the area including the Erythronium dens canis and some species of orchid.

ALTOPIANO DI CARIADEGHE

The road for Cariadeghe starts from Nuvolento and passes through Serle and Botticino following the roundabout for S.Gallo and Castello di Serle; in the area of Villa the road continues towards the plateau. The plateau of Cariadeghe is an undulating landscape. It extends behind the village of Serle at an altitude of about 700/800 metres above sea level among the Valley of Caino, which is located between the slope of Mt Drangoncello in the south-west and Mt Ucia in the north, while further south it opens towards the plain. The landscaltopiano cariadegheape is green and pleasant. At the foot there are fields with some farmsteads while in the central part is a mantle of vegetation with filbert, birch, hornbeam and beech threes. Thanks to a diverse net of paths and dirt roads which run through the area with low differences in level, the entire plateau can be crossed without difficulties. The characteristic trait, that makes this environment almost unique in Lombardy, is represented by the evident karst phenomenology. The plateau has a unique and singular shape within the landscape of the province of Brescia. This is mainly due to its large and impressive karst manifestations such as doline, which are swallow-holes that penetrate in the rocky ground. The vegetation is constituted of grazing pastures, bush, glades and open spaces covered with heath and Phoenician juniper. It is also remarkable the presence of various birds of prey.

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