LIFE+ MGN

 

The SPA "Parco regionale delle Orobie Valtellinesi", with an area of 22,815 hectares, is one of the largest in Lombardy, covering about half of the territory of the homonymous Park, which is the SPA managing body. It includes 22 municipalities and 11 Sites of Community Importance (SCI). 91% of the area of the SPA is covered by habitats of Community interest, with high prevalence of forests: deciduous (beech, chestnut) at lower altitudes, spruce forests at higher altitudes. In these areas, also open environments such as nardeti and mountain hay grasslands are characteristic. Besides spruce forest, there are larch forests, often associated with pine and spruce pine. The high altitudes are mostly made up of alpine boreal heaths, characterized by rhododendron shrubs and dwarf juniper, alpine meadows and rocky environments.

​The SPA has a very interesting flora, with 147 species of high natural interest of which 12 are at risk of extinction in Italy. Among the endemic there are Sanguisorba dodecandra and Viola comollia.

Forest environments are home to many species of wildlife, including the very rare capercaillie, black woodpeckers, owls and boreal dwarf, the hazel grouse, marten. At the upper limit of the forest lives the black grouse, while on the cliffs and alpine grasslands are common the rock partridge, chamois and apline ibex, ptarmigan. The high altitudes are the realm of choice of golden eagles and vultures.

​The conservation status of the site is generally satisfactory, mainly due to inaccessibility of some areas.

The SPA has a widespread network of trails that, from the valley floor, allow to reach high altitudes. The different valleys are connected to each other by the "Gran Via delle Orobie." Ski mountaineering and climbing routes, especially in the valleys Gerola, Tartano, d'Arigna are well known.