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Logo - World Heritage Beech Forests
Unesco - We are Europe's Wilderness - Ancient and Primeval Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Unesco - We are Europe's Wilderness - Ancient and Primeval Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Valle Infernale

The Valle Infernale is a part of the High Aspromonte State Forest within Aspromonte National Park, a complex terrain of mountain peaks and plateaus.

It is characterised by a gradient of natural vegetation following the altitudinal belts from the thermo-Mediterranean wild olive-carob forests and Meso-Mediterranean holm oak forests to warmth-loving oak forests, mountain black pine forests, and to beech forests with fir. This vegetation complex contains many endemic (Calabrian) and sub-endemic (Calabrian-Sicilian) plant species. The area includes pure and mixed beech stands, unexploited in the last 50 years due to its remoteness; it is mostly covered by patches of early transition old-growth forests with large beech, fir, oak, maple, and pine trees that are up to 200 – 400 years old. The strict reserve is almost surrounded by sub-Mediterranean and thermophilus beech forests at the lowest elevations, while pure beech stands of mountain environments characterise cooler aspects.

Profile

  • UNESCO recognition: 2021
  • Protected area: Aspromonte National Park
  • Beech forest region: Central Mediterranean
  • Area: 390.79 ha
  • Number of component parts: 1
  • Altitudinal range: montane (1,127–1,537 m above sea level)
  • Fauna: Wolf, European wildcat, Golden eagle, Black woodpecker, Calabrian black squirrel, Forest dormouse, Yellow-bellied toad, various species of bats
  • Coordinates of the Central Point: N 38° 7’ 55’’, E 15° 57’ 41’