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This reserve lies in the municipalities of Nicosia and Leonforte, covering about 1.838 acres – 1.465 belonging to Zone A, and some 372 to the area in front of the reserve itself.

Mount Altesina, formerly called the “aerial mountain”, perhaps due to its soaring shape that rises quite dramatically from the valley floor, even if it does not exceed 3.937 ft of height.

The slopes of the mountain, currently managed by the State Forestry Company, are almost entirely covered by a thick broad-leaved forest of holm oaks; this is quite peculiar, as these very trees don’t usually grow at these remarkable heights.
There are also many downy oaks, also belonging to the Quercus genus but not evergreen as they used to be, while the undergrowth is thick with butcher’s broom, ivy, cyclamens, Daphne laureola, Cistus, Cytinus hypocististhe, elmleaf blackberries and rough bindweed.

The clearings are used for pasturing herds and look completely green thanks to giant fennels, lucerne, white and yellow asphodels.

The local fauna includes great spotted woodpeckers, some diurnal birds of prey (buzzards and sparrow hawks), and nocturnal ones (barn owls, owls, and scops owls. There are also foxes and wild cats.

Photo source:

https://www.guidasicilia.it/route/la-riserva-naturale-orientata-di-monte-altesina/1001528

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)