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The Uccellina mountain range stretches along the coastal strip of Grosseto’s Maremma, lapped by the Tyrrhenian Sea on its western side, and bordered by the alluvial plains of the Ombrone and Albegna Rivers. It is a protected natural area, part of the Maremma Natural Park, and it stretches along the sandy beach of Marina di Albarese. This park can be reached by car or shuttle bus and offers a great naturalistic, historical and artistic heritage, as it also contains several ancient Roman watchtowers and the Abbey of San Rabano. The coast is both high and rocky, with reliefs overlooking the sea and totally bare of vegetation; low coastal dunes are abundant as well.

The Uccellina Natural Park can be explored on foot, by bicycle or on horseback, and it is also possible to find accommodation in the numerous farmhouses in the area.

The vegetation is typically Mediterranean, made of woods and scrubs, where wild boars, foxes, porcupines, wild cats, hedgehogs and, along with many birds, mostly migratory, live.

FLORA

The Uccellina mountain range is largely covered by Mediterranean scrub woods, with green olive trees (Phillyrea latifolia), strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo), mastic trees (Viburnum lentiscus), downy oaks (Quercus pubescens), ashes (Fraxinus ornus) , while myrtle, mastic, heather, strawberry tree, lavender and lena broom (Cytisus scoparius) can be found in smaller scrub areas.
The garrigue (or phrygana) of the Uccellina hills features rosemary, pink heather, mastic and rock roses. In spring, a rich variety of wild orchids blooms in the red soil garrigue.

FAUNA

The fauna includes mammals of scrub environments, such as roe deers, wild boars, porcupines, badgers, foxes, wild cats, and very rare otters. In the wide spaces of the hilly and flat areas towards the sea, there are the typical and quite impressive Maremma bovine cattle, with large horns and a grey coat, as well as Maremma wild horses.

Among the birds, during spring and autumn migrations, visitors can observe several specimens of waders, ducks, herons, ospreys, bee-eaters, flamingos, and short-toed snake eagles.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)