Parco Naturale Orsiera Rocciavrè

Orsiera Rocciavrè Park

The Park lies in a high mountain area with four peaks higher than 2,800 meters (Monte Orsiera, Rocca Nera, Punta Cristallina, P. della Gavia). The landscape is characterized by several lakes of glacial origins especially in the Middle-Eastern section of the Park (Chardonnet, La Mania, Lago Soprano, Lago Sottano, etc.). The brief and steep glacial valleys have been shaped by the watercourses. The South-Eastern section, where the green stones outcrop, is characterized by a harsh and wild morphology with thin and mainly shrubby vegetation.

Geomorphology (Italian text)
The Orsiera-Rocciavrè massif is made by rocks of different origin whose presence can be understood if it is traced back to the process of alpine orogenesis.

Climate (Italian text)
In the Park there are not the conditions for the formation of glaciers and of small permanent snow fields.

Flora and vegetation (Italian text)
The vegetation of the Park is particularly interesting both because the protected territory covers a large area in altitude, and because the three valleys in which it develops have different climatic and pedological features.

(the following links all lead to Italian texts)

• Grasslands 
• Rock environments
• Juniper
• Larch woods
• Scotch pine 
• Rhododendron and blackberry
• Alder wood
• Beech tree wood 
• Nival valleys
• List of flora

The Park Wildlife (Italian text)
The geomorphological features of the Park territory enable many animal species to find their ideal habitat: as a matter of fact, the considerable altimetric range, the different exposure of the slopes, and the scarce human influence determine a diversity of undisturbed environments giving the opportunity to the species to find some space in the most suitable place.

(the following links all lead to Italian texts)

• Ungulates
• Marmot
• Galliformes 
• Red ant