Protected natural areas
Appia Antica Regional Park
The area covered by the park is approximately 3,500 hectares.
This area includes the Via Appia Antica and its surroundings for a stretch of 16 kilometres, the Caffarella Valley (200 hectares), the archaeological area of the Via Latina, the archaeological area of the Aqueducts (240 hectares), the Tormarancia Estate (220 hectares) and the Farnesiana Estate (180 hectares) .
The perimeter of the park is bounded to the north by the Aurelian Walls of Rome, to the west by Via Ardeatina and the Rome-Naples railway, to the east by Via Tuscolana and Via Appia Nuova as far as Frattocchie, and to the south by the village of S. Maria delle Mole and the Fosso delle Cornacchiole on the edge of the archaeological area of Tellene.
The municipalities covered by the park are Rome, Ciampino and Marino.
For geography enthusiasts, the park’s coordinates are: – 41° 50′ 00‘ north latitude – 12° 33′ 00’ east longitude.
The maximum altitude is 189 metres above sea level at Frattocchie in the southern part of the park.
Castelli Romani Regional Park
The Castelli Romani Regional Park is a protected natural area in the Lazio Region located in the Colli Albani area, in the province of Rome. It comprises 15 municipalities.
This regional park of natural and artistic interest extends over the area of the ancient Laziale Volcano.
Many of the municipalities of the Castelli Romani share protected areas of the park, including Nemi, whose territory falls entirely within its boundaries.
Of particular interest are the archaeological site of Tuscolo and the numerous Tuscolan villas.
The park also includes Lake Albano (also known as Lake Castel Gandolfo) and Lake Nemi.
The Castelli Romani Park was established by Regional Law 2/1984 with the aim of protecting the natural and cultural integrity of the fifteen towns (Albano Laziale, Ariccia, Castel Gandolfo, Frascati, Genzano di Roma, Grottaferrata, Lanuvio, Lariano, Marino, Monte Compatri, Monte Porzio Catone, Nemi, Rocca di Papa, Rocca Priora, Velletri) that occupy the ancient Laziale Volcano.
Monti Lucretili Regional Nature Park
The Monti Lucretili Regional Nature Park is a protected natural area in the Lazio region established in 1989.
The regional park, which is still partly unspoilt, covers 18,000 hectares and its main core consists of the Monti Lucretili mountains. The highest peaks are Monte Pellecchia (1,368 m) and Monte Gennaro (1,271 m).
The park covers 13 municipalities belonging to two provinces (Rome and Rieti) and three mountain communities (XI, X and XX).
The municipalities belonging to the park are: Licenza, Marcellina, Monteflavio, Montorio Romano, Moricone, Orvinio, Palombara Sabina, Percile, Poggio Moiano, Roccagiovine, San Polo dei Cavalieri, Scandriglia and Vicovaro.
The park still preserves many wooded areas, including beautiful beech forests.
Rare plant species such as styrax (Styrax officinalis – symbol of the park) and Iris sabina are present.
As for fauna, it is worth noting the “return” of the wolf and bear and the nesting of a pair of golden eagles on the slopes of Monte Pellecchia.
Monti Simbruini Regional Nature Park
The Monti Simbruini Park is part of the Apennine mountain range and encompasses seven municipalities: Trevi nel Lazio, Filettino, Vallepietra, Jenne, Subiaco, Cervara di Roma and Camerata Nuova. The park was officially established on 29 January 1983.
The park is home to numerous animal species typical of the Apennines. There are populations of wild ungulates, such as deer, wild boar and roe deer, which are an important source of food for the wolves in the area. There are also reports of the presence of the Marsican brown bear.
Other notable mammals include the wildcat, the hazel dormouse, the marten, the polecat, the stone marten and the porcupine. Numerous species of birds also nest in the park, including golden eagles, white-backed woodpeckers, red-billed choughs and rock partridges.
Numerous species of amphibians can be found in the springs and wetlands, including newts, fire-bellied toads and spectacled salamanders. Reptiles are also well represented, with various species including the grass snake, the green whip snake and the common viper. Finally, among the invertebrates, it is worth mentioning the large number of insects that populate practically all areas of the park, ranging from lepidoptera and cerambycidae to orthoptera.
Monti Navegna and Cervia Nature Reserve
The Monti Navegna e Cervia Regional Nature Reserve, located in the province of Rieti, covers approximately 3,600 hectares within the Salto and Turano river basins, encompassing the territory of nine municipalities: Ascrea, Castel di Tora, Collalto Sabino, Collegiove, Marcetelli, Nespolo; Paganico Sabino, Rocca Sinibalda and Varco Sabino.
The Nature Reserve is characterised by the presence of mountain and sub-mountain beech and oak forests, bushy pastures that are transforming into young forests, secondary grasslands on the tops of the mountains, chestnut groves, carbonate walls that frame some streams, and finally the “landscape of dams” created by the construction of the Salto and Turano artificial reservoirs in the late 1930s. The protected area includes the Monte Navegna (1508 metres above sea level) and Monte Filone mountains to the north and, to the south, separated by the Fosso dell’Obito, Monte Cervia (1438 metres above sea level), an extensive mountain ridge interrupted by the deep gorges of the Fosso di Riancoli. Monte San Giovanni is located south of this valley.
The south-eastern sector of the Reserve, separated from the previous area, consists of the mountains surrounding the village of Nespolo, which form the regional border with Abruzzo.
Montagne della Duchessa Nature Reserve
The Montagne della Duchessa Regional Nature Reserve covers an area of over 3,540 hectares, consisting of rugged, wild mountainous terrain dominated by Monte Morrone (2,141 m) and Murolungo (2,184 m). The landscape is quite striking and varied; as you climb from the 950 m above sea level of Valle Amara and Cartore, the mixed forests of turkey oak, ash, hornbeam, rowan and maple give way, above 1200 m, to monumental beech forests. The highest peaks are dominated by perennial pastures and large rocky areas where even plant life struggles to survive. From north to south, deep, narrow valleys alternate with more or less rugged terrain: Monte Cava (2000 m above sea level) is followed by the deep gorge of Valle Amara which, although an important access point to the Reserve in summer, is often impassable in winter because it collects the torrential waters that “channel” into the valleys at higher altitudes, transforming it into a veritable river bed. This is followed by the emergence of Monte Morrone and then the Vallone di Fua and Vallone del Cieco, which lead to the enchanting and unspoilt Lago della Duchessa (1788 m above sea level). Further south, Murolungo dominates the Vallone di Teve with its rocky spurs.
Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park
The park, located in the heart of the Apennines, extends across three regions: Abruzzo, Lazio and Marche, encompassing five provinces: L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, Rieti and Ascoli Piceno, and 44 municipalities.
It is a transitional area between the Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean regions, home to the highest mountain in the Apennines, which contains the only glacier in southern Europe.
Its geographical position, the height of its mountains and the different geology of the reliefs: limestone and dolomite on Gran Sasso and Monti Gemelli, sandstone and marl on Monti della Laga, determine an extraordinary wealth of animal and plant species, as well as a truly unique variety of ecosystems and landscapes.