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“Riserva Naturale Guidata Biogenetica” (RNGB) “I giganti di Fallistro” was created by the Environment Ministry on the 21^st of July 1987, in order to protect a strip of many century Larice pines’ wood on the Sila Plateau.

The territory of Fallistro Natural Reserve is in the municipality of Spezzano della Sila (Cosenza), in Sila Grande and in the basin of river Neto.

Its surface is 5.44 ha and its perimeter values 1.2 km, the reserve extends between 1398 m and 1448 m of altitude.

The Reserve was created as a conservation and study area of Larice pines, which is more present in this area than other species like beech trees, Sycamore maples or poplars.

There are 58 specimens of this species with different ages and sizes which date back to 1620-1650. they were planted by the owner of the field, who had constructed here his summer residence. It is known the circumference and height of all the specimens.

79% of its surface are covered by a Larice pines wood, 7% by beech trees and aspens, the remaining parts are used in Summer as pastures or are areas in which there are Sycamore maples or cherry trees. The perimeter of Fallistro Natural Reserve is partly formed by riparian vegetation with black poplars or black alders.

Larice pines undergo four stages of development:

• “Pineta vetusta”: 60 specimens 350-400 years old, trunk diameter 2 m and maximum height of 43 m. The undergrowth is formed by a layer of grass with some plants of rosehips.
• “Pineta adulta”: 70-80-year-old trees next to the old wood on a slight slope. The undergrowth is composed of graminivorous plants with rare wild-roses’ bushes and hawthorns.
• “Pineta giovane”: 30-35-year-old plants. The undergrowth is strongly present because of the high concentration of trees and there is a thin layer of undecomposed litter on the soil.
• “Spessina”: 20-year-old trees. The undergrowth is not present but there is a thin layer of litter.

There are other protected species in Fallistro Natural Reserve apart from Larice pines like the Limodorum brulloi, a small endemic, semi-parasite orchid typical of Calabrian mountains and whose population is rich inside the reserve.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)