Parco Naturale Regionale delle Alpi Liguri

Nature

• The area of Pian Cavallo represents one of the most important naturalistic areas in Liguria for its quality forests consisting of larch forests, pinewoods with Scots pines, beech forests, and arboreal formations mixed with mesophile forests. Moreover, it is one of the most important European karstic areas for its several and imposing epigeal and hypogeal features (caves, cavities, siphons). The gorge of Gola delle Fascette is spectacular (it develops for about 600m), at the border with Piedmont.
  
  
• The ridge of Mt. Saccarello - Mt. Frontè - Mt. Monega is the highest mountain area of Liguria (2,200m), characterized by meagre grasslands and grassy soils. In the area of Mt. Monega there are grasslands and deciduous forests (in particular the wonderful beech forest of Rezzo) and sheep breeding represents an element of maintenance of a high biodiversity level. The presence of the calcareous substratum in the north-western section of Argentina Valley is characterized by surface karstic phenomena and the development of subvertical walls (the cliffs of Realdo and Loreto), gorges, and hypogeal phenomena.
  
  
• The complex of Mt. Gerbonte - Mt. Toraggio/Pietravecchia, extremely showy, it houses very differentiated habitats and a great number of endemic species. In the area between Gerbonte State Forest (622 ha), a still developing forest for the several reforestation activities, where fir trees and Scots pines grow together with beech trees, and centuries-old maples and larches. The wild and charming massifs of Mt. Toraggio and Mt. Pietravecchia are extraordinary areas within the whole alpine chain: the geological substratum, the proximity to the sea of summits of 2,000m or beyond, the alternation of glacial and interglacial periods have led to the formation of micro-environments characterized by the presence of a great number of floral species of great biogeographical interest. The mountains are characterized by the presence of subvertical walls and, near Gola dell'Incisa between Pietravecchia and Toraggio mountains, of deformation phenomena which are even more evident because of the selective erosion interesting the different lithotypes. There are several surface and hypogeal karstic phenomena.
  
  
• Testa d'Alpe State Reserve represents one of the most beautiful forests in Liguria dominated by silver firs, sycamore maples, and Scots pines. The ridges mainly house herbaceous vegetation of great importance for the birds. The valley of Barbaira Stream, with its wild charm, is characterized by small lakes and waterfalls of great naturalistic interest and landscape value. The calcareous, calcareous-arenaceous, and nummulitic limestone substratum has several hypogeal cavities of great speleological interest.

Map of Alpi Liguri Park

Further information (Italian text)

Fauna

The typically alpine area is one of the most interesting and significant features in the Park's territory if we consider the proximity to the mediterranean environment and the temperate climate of the coastline. The territory, at the border between Piedmont and Liguria, is rich in environmental contrasts caused by its particular geographical location, where in a few kilometers one passes from the sea level to an altitude of 2,000 m. Climbing the valleys the mild climate of the coast reaches the mountain foot and gives rise to an extraordinary biodiversity, with many species of community importance.

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Flora

In the Alpi Liguri Park every visit becomes a surprise: in a little more than one hour by car you can go from the sea to the mountain, between the Riviera dei Fiori and the Côte d'Azur behind the corner up to the Saccarello summit and the ski resort in Monesi. It is not difficult to find the reason for the existence of this Park: extraordinary biodiversity, natural environments alternate each other within a small place which, in the course of time, formed a real mosaic of plant species, some of which are endemic (living only in this territory) and on the edge of their belonging area. 

Further information (Italian text)

Geology

Movement and contrasts are keywords in the geology of the Ponente Ligure, thanks to the continuous succession of compact rock outcrops, rugged elevations and vertical or overhanging walls: the passionate climbers can test their ability between the summits of the mounts Toraggio and Pietravecchia (Val Nervia), in the deep inlets of the Loreto Gully (Valle Argentina) or on the high bastions north of Piancavallo (Val Tanarello).

Further information (Italian text)