Park of the Apennine Flora of Cervarezza

Accessibility:
200 m from the discotheque restaurant La Tavernetta you take the SP 60 Cervarezza Terme, Springs of S. Lucia. Or the route can begin on the SP 15 Sparavalle Ramiseto, about 2 km after the intersection with the SS 63 (coming from Busana, in the direction of Castelnovo ne' Monti)

Tourist Area
Parco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-emiliano

Geographic Area
Apennines

Description:
The Flora park of Cervarezza is spread over an area of about 55 ha located in the basin of the Maore rio torrent (right hydrographic of the Lonza torrent), on the northern side of Mt Campestrino, at an average altitude of 900 - 950 m above sea level.
The area has been chose for a long time by botanists and naturalists for the great relevance of the variety of the vegetal species present there. The idea of making this Park a studies and research station of Northern Apennine flora began in 1972, when the botanist and palinologist Daria Bertolani Marchetti officially inaugurated the "Park of Apennine Flora of Cervarezza" with a report which underlined the importance of this destination to improve current scientific knowledge of the naturalistic environment of the Apennines. Since then, besides arranging things and taking care of the woods, the clearings and the paths, and the nearby roadman's house of the Maore brook, the provincial Administration supported activities related to surveys on the vegetation and studies of its evolution. Furthermore, since 1989 observation of fauna is underway and the creation of a ornithological station has been promoted (it will be the first one regularly working in the Apennines) managed with the cooperation of the Environment Councillorship of the province and of the Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia. According to a law of 2 April 1988 N 11 "Discipline of Parks and Natural Resources" the Flora park of Cervarezza was included in the "B" zone, of general protection, within the more extensive parco del Gigante, where "soil, water, vegetation and fauna are strictly protected". In these areas the law allows the following activities:
- census of the natural and environmental wealth;
- elaboration of an ecological map;
- studies regarding interacting of animal and vegetal populations
(Province of Reggio Emilia)