Orrido di Botri Natural Reserve
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This is a protected natural area established in 1971, in the province of Lucca. The Orrido is a deep limestone gorge with steep walls carved by the waters of the Rio Pelago, inserted in an Apennine landscape with rocky environments and extensive beech woods, dominated by the peaks of Mount Rondinaio and Tre Potenze.
FLORA
Inside the Orrido, the vegetation is vertically stratified, with the wettest and coldest levels at the lowest heights, where mosses and ferns are abundant. The higher it gets, the more temperate and sunny the landscape, featuring herbaceous plants such as rare columbines, catchflies, rockfoils, and bear’s ear (Primula auricola) – tree species include beeches, black hornbeams (Ostrya carpinifolia), ashes (Fraxinus ornus), holm oaks (Quercus ilex), small-leaved limes (Tilia cordata), common laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides), and yews (Taxus baccata) – a conifer with poisonous leaves.
FAUNA
Wolves have always been present in the Apennine territory, like many other mammals such as roe deers, hares, squirrels, marmots, foxes, porcupines, skunks, and martens. Bird species include golden eagles – that nest in the cracks of the gorge that can be up to 656 ft high – goshawks, sparrow hawks, buzzards, honey buzzards, kestrels, and peregrine falcons. The most abundant amphibians are common frogs, European cave salamanders, and fire salamanders.
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Italiano (Italian)
Contatti
Viale G. Giusti 65 - Lucca(LU)
0583 955525
utb.lucca@corpoforestale.it
