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This park is set into a large area in the municipalities of Almé, Bergamo, Mozzo, Paladina, Ponteranica, Ranica, Sorisole, Torre Boldone, Valbrembo, and Villa d’Almé.
It stretches on some 11.600 acres, between the altitudes of 800 ft and 3.759 ft.

The park was built in 1977 to safeguard and enhance the delicate balance between nature and human settlements (as per the Regional Law n. 36 of 18 August 1977); it’s the third regional park after those of Ticino and Groane.
Inside the park, there are several, different ecosystems, including a hilly area and a mountain environment. Different landscapes and biodiversity are thus painstakingly preserved, along with some historical settlements, agricultural areas, and natural wonders like the Giongo Valley, and the slopes of the hills of Bergamo.

In Parco dei Colli, more than 400 species of plants have been cataloged so far. The deciduous forests are the most representative habitats of this area, covering more than 5.600 acres of land.
There are mainly chestnuts, locusts, and black hornbeams, among oaks, ashes, alders, willows, black poplars, and London plane trees. Among the exotic species, introduced by man, the Park includes red oaks, tulip trees, and conifers such as black pines and Eastern white pines.

In the undergrowth, there’s hazel, elderberry, hawthorn, common laburnum, privet, common medlars, honeysuckle, spindle tree, viburnum, and butcher’s broom species, along with several varieties of ferns. For what concerns flowers, there are wild peonies, red lilies, iris, the snowdrops, lilies of the valley, gentians, poet’s narcissus, wild thyme, primroses, and assorted species of wild orchids.

Photo source: http://www.montagneepaesi.com/mp/index.php/notizie/bergamo-ed-hinterland/5111-parco-dei-colli-festeggia-i-suoi-40-anni-festa-in-val -Marina
Text source:
http://parcocollibergamo.it/ITA/Natura_e_sede_del_parco/Natura_e_sede_del_parco.asp

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)