Val Grande (2710)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Val Grande
Central coordinates: Latitude: 46.0500, Longitude: 8.4333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 267 to 2227
Area of KBA (km2): 146.29856
Protected area coverage (%): 99.09
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Val Grande, part of the national park of the same name, is one of the largest and wildest areas in Italy, characterised by an impervious and sparsely populated alpine landscape, bordered by Lake Maggiore, the Val Vigezzo and the Ossola. The environment is dominated by deciduous and coniferous forests, deep valleys carved out by streams and a complex geology linked to the deep continental crust, with rocks that reveal the history of the Alpine chain. The fauna and flora are gradually recovering naturally, following the abandonment of agricultural, forestry and pastoral activities by humans. At lower altitudes, there are oak and chestnut trees, while higher up there are beech, spruce, larch and silver fir, as well as aspen and birch.
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 55 | |
| Other | 20 | |
| Shrubland | 25 |
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership