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Gruppo di Tessa Nature Park was established in 1976. It covers an area of approximately 78.000 acres and is bordered to the South by Val Venosta, to the West by Val Senales, to the East by Val Passiria, and to the North by the Alps Mountain Ridge. The park is included in the Natura 2000 European Ecological Network.

The landscape appears as the very result of the never-ending action of glaciers and watercourses. Therefore, there’s an enormous amount of water released by the melting glaciers all over the park. A major attraction of the park is undoubtedly Lakes Sopranes, from which it is possible to enjoy a most unique panorama.

A typical element of the rural landscape of Val Venosta is the irrigation canals called “Waale” – the farmers have always been able to cultivate the mountain slopes and the valley floor thanks to those very vital sources of water, despite the extreme dryness of the soil and scarce rainfall.

In Val Senales, which has the largest number of sheep in all of South Tyrol, visitors can witness the transhumance of thousands of animals at the end of June.

FLORA AND FAUNA

The southern slopes of the Texel Mountain Range are covered with mixed broad-leaved or Scots pine forests (Pinus sylvestris), up to 3.280 ft and offer a perfect habitat for many species of birds and small mammals.

In the wetter areas, there are beeches (Fagus spp.), and silver firs (Abies alba); on drier soils, chestnuts (Castanea sativa), oaks, birches, grey alders (Alnus incana), and field maples (Acer campestre) are abundant.

On the steep slopes facing West, there are larch forests (Larix decidua), where the juniper and barberry (Berberis vulgaris) also grow. Val Senales can also be acknowledged as “the valley of the larch trees in South Tyrol”.

Between 328 and 6.233 ft, there are woods of Norway spruce (Picea abies) which offer shelter to squirrels, roe deers, black woodpeckers and black tits. A strip of dwarf shrubs extends between the tree line (at 6.233 ft) and the alpine pastures.
Swiss pines (Pinus cembra), larches and rhododendrons are particularly prominent together with heather (Erica carnea), bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva -ursi), and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum).

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)