ABRUZZO NATIONAL PARK : WHERE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT JUST A DEFINITION, BUT REALITY.

It is the oldest and most famous park in Italy. Abruzzo National Park (now called Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park) is born on September 9th 1922, from an idea of the Abruzzo Member of Parliament Erminio Sipari and it has been founded with a royal law n. 25 on January 11th 1923. Now, the Park is 50.000 hectares big and 60.000 hectares of external protection.

The Park includes the territory of three different regions ( Abruzzo-Lazio-Molise) and occupies territories of several mountain villages. The oldest of the Park in Italian Apennine had an important rule in preservation of some of the most interesting species of Italian big fauna: Marsican brown bear, Abruzzo Chamois and Apennine wolf. Most of the territory is covered by beech wood, formed by old trees too, ideal habitat of many birds, such as Lilford woodpecker . The reintroduction of Red deer and Roe deer, together to the return of the Wild boar, permitted to establish the original and natural balance. Near the top of the mountains, at 1800 meters in height, the beech wood leaves space to the highlands, where is possible to observe Pino Mugo and many other glacial or endemic species of plants. The success of Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park is due to the fact that it was able to conjugate the protection of the nature with the social and economic development of people of the villages included in the territory of the Park. Several museums, areas for animal’s observation, the net of the paths and many other buildings to enjoy the Park permitted the revaluation of small medieval villages such as Pescasseroli, Opi, Villetta Barrea, Civitella Alfedena and Barrea.

This is what makes this National Park a place which deserves your attention when visiting Italy: over there you can admire the unique habitat and wildlife, enjoying at the same time the magnificence of its mediaval villages that still conserve perfectly their own culture and traditions, as sustainable food and wine production, ancient crafts and local events, which are a perfect example of how men and Nature can cohabit, without hurting each other.

Moreover, The Abruzzo National Park is rated by Lonely Planet as one of Europe's five best national parks - "should be on people's Italy must-see lists...unparallelled hiking country...."

"Barely two hours from Rome, these granite peaks and beechwood forests rarely make it onto most people’s Italy must-see lists. But they should: this is northern Italy at its most medieval, a mountain wilderness that is the last remaining home of the endangered Marsican brown bear as well as wild 

lynx, Appenine wolves and royal eagles. More than 150 tratturi (sheep tracks) wind through valleys

 and meadows filled with forget-me-nots, the untamed natural beauty broken up by a scattering of 

hilltop villages. This is unparalleled hiking country, with even short walks offering stupendous views. 

The main town is Pescasseroli, an attractive jumble of pink stone houses nestled in a valley and flanked by white-tipped peaks." Lonely Planet ( http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/76668)