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The Acquerino nature reserve is a protected mountain area in the province of Pistoia, related with the Apennine ridge, and established in 1977.

FLORA

The local flora features extensive forests, dominated above all by dense beech and chestnut trees, rarely interrupted by grasslands and shrubs; many deers live there. The area was formerly cultivated with fruit trees (walnuts, cherries, hazelnuts), some of which of a secular age. Several racks for chestnut drying as well as some sweet flour mills, which are still active, are the most prominent testament to that ancient agricultural tradition in this area.

FAUNA

In the less populated areas, there is a fairly rich fauna: red deers, roe deers and wild boars, foxes, stone martens, porcupines, long-tailed tits, great tits, common chiffchaffs, nuthatches, cuckoos, white-throated dippers, buzzards, goshawks, and green whip snakes. Being also crossed by several streams (two of which, Fosso delle Barbe and Fosso del Trogola give life to the Bisenzio River), this territory hosts species of particular interest such as the fire salamander and the spectacled salamander.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)