The autonomous province of Trento is one of the best looked after environments in Italy, with 16% of the territory coming into the category of “protected areasâ€; this is considerably more than the Italian national average, which is around 11%. May 24 is European Day of Natural Parks, and a full programme of events is being offered by the Adamello-Brenta Park in western Trentino, the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Park in eastern Trentino, and the Trentino part of the Stelvio National Park. These natural areas are managed by a Board comprising a variety of local bodies and associations, as well as all the district authorities located in the protected areas. Even the smallest natural environments, such as biotopes (marshes, tarns, bogs), are considered worthy of protection, so that May 24 is an important date for these areas too.
The largest protected area in Trentino is the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park, which extends for 618 square kilometres with over 80 lakes, the Adamello Glacier, marvellous conifer woods climbing the mountain sides to heights around 1,800 m and giving way to Alpine meadows and rock vegetation, which reaches an altitude of over 2,500m. The animal wildlife is among the richest of the whole Alpine area: all the mountain species exist here, including the ibex and the brown bear.
Don’t miss a visit to the Park’s headquarters at Strembo and the Visitors’ Centres of Tovel, Spormaggiore and Daone (Info: 0465 804637 – www.parcoadamellobrenta.tn.it).
At the eastern extremity of Trentino is the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park: 197 sq. kilometres of dense spruce forests, morainal scree slopes, peat bogs, tarns, ski lifts and numerous malghe (high mountain pastures where cheese is made in summer), forming an environment of great variety where chamois, roebuck and deer live. There are three Visitors’ Centres: at Villa Welsperg in Val Canali, at Paneveggio and at San Martino di Castrozza
(Info: 0462 576060 – www.parcopan.org).
Val di Pejo and Val di Rabbi are part of the Stelvio National Park, the realm of eagles, marmots, chamois, deer, roebuck and ibex. Guided visits are available.
(Info: 0463 903046 – www.stelviopark.it).
And on the occasion of the Europarc festival, the Parks are also coming to town. On Saturday 17 May in Piazza Cesare Battisti in Trento there will be stands giving information on the protected areas. On Sunday May 25 visitors will have the chance of taking part in hikes and visits to parks and biotopes.
Info:
Parks and Nature Conservation Department
tel. (+39) 0461 495964
