REGIONAL PARK MOUNTS PICENTINI

Mountain territory of remarkable extension, relatively not very inhabited, includes the biggest extended forest and the richest tank of drinkable water of the South Italy. Two thirds party of the protected area are covered by beech trees, but there are other wooded formations . Between the mammals there are many kinds of rodents, the hare and the wild boar. Rare the carnivorous animals; common the fox. We find the wolf, in via of extinction in Italy. The royal eagle, the astore and the hawk can be sighted. Between the reptiles we find the biacco, the cervone and the adder.The park has been instituted but still the borders haven't been defined neither named the leading organisms. Between the Mounts Picentini and the Mounts Alburni, there is the Oasis of Persano, constituted from an alluvial plain formed by the Sele river: a dam has created an artificial invading encircled by the forest, present also along the river. In the protected area therefore the river, the artificial invading with the swampy zone, the cane field and the forest are included. Around the wet zone the medirerranea spot and the forests prevail, beyond to the meadows and the cultivated fields. Willow trees, black alders and canes characterize the forest near the water; there is a vegetation of white and black poplar,manna-ash and ash-tree. Of extreme interest is the rare yellow iris , the water lilies, gigaro and the 14 species of wild orchids. The fields are instead punctuated by you perfumed narcissuses, pratoline and wild gladiolus .Symbol of the oasis is the otter that swims in the waters of the lake, but it's possible to meet also the polecat, tied to humid places, the marten, nearer to the houses and the cultivated fields, the weasel, that moves and finds shelter between the heaps of stones, the badger, frequent visitor of the mixed wood. The more common carnivorous is the fox, present in all the places of the oasis. In winter there are thousand of aquatic birds as: the heron, the cormorat and various ducks. In spring there are herons, red herons, nitticore, sgarze ciuffetto, while the mud islands that emerge for the lowering of the water attract the muddy birds. Abundant also the fish fauna, between which the Appennine alborella ; between the amphibians, frogs, toads and trees frogs.

HOW TO ARRIVE

By car it is situated in province of Salerno, in the localities of Serre and Campagna . To reach it it from the motorway A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria, you must exit to Campagna. Turn on the left and continue on the straight road that takes to the S.S.19 of Calabria.Turn on the left, after 4 km on the left, take the crossroad for the communal road Falzia and after 1 km, you reach the Visit Center.