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Velino Wilderness

Velino Wilderness

Velino Wilderness Candidate

  • Author: Max Rossberg
  • Date Posted: Dec 18, 2018
  • Category:
  • Address: Sirente Velino Natural Park, Italy Viale XXIV Maggio, Snc - 67048 Rocca di Mezzo (AQ), Italy

Velino Wilderness

The 1 250 ha Velino Wilderness is embedded into the Sirente Velino Natural Park, Italy. The Sirente Velino Regional Park is situated in the Abruzzo Region of Central Italy. The park consists of the Sirente and Velino mountain ranges which are both part of the Central Apennines.

Velino Wilderness is formed by limestone mountains, karst plateaus, wide valleys and gorges forming a spectacular landscape. Velino Wilderness includes the peaks of Monte Velino (2 486m) and Colle dell’Orso (2 220m) separated by the Vallone di Teve. The area of and around Velino Wilderness Candidate were intensively used by grazing, forestry and hunting in the past.

European Wilderness Quality Standard Audit System

The 1 250 ha Velino Wilderness was subject to a Quick-Audit in September 2018 and meets the Bronze Wilderness Quality Standard. 

Wilderness information

  • Protected area: Sirente Velino Natural Park
  • Wilderness: Velino Wilderness
  • Wilderness Quality Standard: Bronze
  • Country: Italy
  • Size of the protected area: 54 361 ha
  • Size of the Wilderness: 1 250 ha
  • European Wilderness Quality Standard Audit: 2018
  • Wilderness Uniqueness: Apennine beech forests with alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands with several endemic plant species
  • Number of visitors per year to the protected area: Unknown
  • Number of visitors per year to the Wilderness: Unknown

Biodiversity

Velino Wilderness consists of well-preserved Apennine mountain ecosystems. Due to its altitude, inaccessibility and prominence, most of Velino Wilderness is without significant human-made structures. Signs of previous uses, such as decades of grazing, are slowly disappearing and the land is gaining a wilder character. 

Velino Wilderness is home to the Apennine wolf and Marsican bear, as well as to the wildcat, marten, red and roe deer. The area has a high biodiversity and hosts several rare and endemic species, such as Cerastium thomasii, Saxifraga italica and Coristospermum cuneifolium, which are exclusively living in some mountain areas of the Abruzzo region. Additionally, Adonis distorta, which lives exclusively in a few areas of the Central Apennines, occurs here. 

Wilderness Tourism Experience

Velino Wilderness is a well-known destination for local and international visitors. The Sirente Velino Regional Park contains many kilometres of hiking trails leading through the forests and mountain landscape. Velino Wilderness is an excellent example of mountain Wilderness in the heart of the Apennine mountains and the first certified Wilderness in an Italian Regional Park. Spectacular mountain scenery, dense beech forest and attractive mountain peaks provide extraordinary Wilderness experiences. 

Contact details

Wilderness Candidate Brief

 

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