Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (Italian: Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise) is an Italian national park created in 1923. Most of the park is in the Abruzzo region, with smaller areas in Lazio and Molise. It is sometimes called by its former name, Abruzzo National Park. The park headquarters are in Pescasseroli in the Province of L'Aquila. The park's area is 496.80 km² (191.82 sq mi).

It is the oldest park in the Apennine Mountains and the second oldest in Italy. The park helps protect species like the Italian wolf, Abruzzo chamois, and Marsican brown bear. Other animals found here include red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and the white-backed woodpecker. About two-thirds of the protected area is covered in beech forests. Other trees in the area include silver birch, black pine, and mountain pine.

History

The idea for the Abruzzo National Park began after World War I because of Erminio Sipari, an environmentalist, member of the Italian Parliament, and cousin of Benedetto Croce. Between October and November 1921, the town of Opi allowed a private group to use 5 square kilometers of land to protect plants and animals. Sipari also started an organization in Rome to manage the reserve. The park was officially created in September 1922. In the following years, the park’s area grew to include nearby towns, reaching about 120 square kilometers by 1923, when protection of the land became part of the law. A period of active growth followed, and the park expanded to around 300 square kilometers before the Fascist government closed it in 1933.

The park was re-established in 1950, but this time it faced financial challenges. Later, a building boom led to more than 12,000 trees being cut down for homes, roads, and ski trails. In the late 1960s, changes in how the park was managed improved conditions. By 1976, the park had grown to 400 square kilometers. Villages in the neighboring region of Molise joined the park because they saw economic benefits. Today, the park covers 500 square kilometers, which is 100 times larger than the original reserve. However, the park’s role in protecting the marsican bear is now debated. While efforts continue to monitor the bear population, recent problems include paving work inside the park and building projects to connect the park’s only ski trail to another valley, which is important for the bears’ movement.

Geography

The mountains in the park include Petroso (2,249 metres), Marsicano (2,245 metres), Meta (2,242 metres), Tartaro (2,191 metres), Jamiccio (2,074 metres), Cavallo (2,039 metres), and Palombo (2,013 metres). These mountains are part of the Monti della Meta range. The Sangro River begins near Pescasseroli and flows southeast through the man-made Lago di Barrea before exiting the park and turning northeast. Other rivers in the park are the Giovenco, Malfa, and Volturno. Additional lakes in the area include Vivo, Pantaniello, Scanno, Montagna Spaccata, Castel San Vincenzo, Grottacampanaro, and Selva di Cardito.

Fauna

In the park, the main wildlife attractions are the Marsican brown bear and the Italian wolf. Official reports say there are 50 to 70 bears in this population, but the number is likely closer to 30 due to a decline. Threats to the bears include changes from farming to development in Abruzzo, such as a proposed ski resort, and poaching. Italian wolf numbers were once as low as 40 but have increased in recent years.

The presence of the Eurasian lynx in the park is still debated, and no scientific studies confirm it. However, some people have reported seeing it, though these sightings are not proven.

In the dense parts of the forest, there are red deer and roe deer, which were reintroduced in the 1970s, and wild boar. Other animals that live in the forest include the European polecat, Eurasian badger, Eurasian otter, and two types of marten: the pine marten and beech marten. Higher up, in areas above the forest, the Abruzzo chamois live alone or in small groups.

Animals that are easier to spot include the red fox, European hare, least weasel, European mole, and western European hedgehog. Dormice and red squirrels are also commonly seen. Other mammals found in the park include the snow vole, edible dormouse, European wildcat, and Garden dormouse.

Birds

Many birds of prey live in the park. The most famous is the golden eagle, which has six breeding pairs. These eagles live in hard-to-reach areas but are often seen flying over the middle parts of the park while searching for prey such as small animals or sick or young chamois. Other birds of prey in the park include goshawks, peregrine falcons, Eurasian buzzards, Eurasian kestrels, and Eurasian sparrowhawks. At night, visitors may hear owls such as the little owl, barn owl, and tawny owl, even though these birds are harder to see. Woodland areas are home to the European green woodpecker and the rare white-backed woodpecker. Cliffs are home to the red-billed chough and alpine chough, while bare mountain areas have the rock partridge and white-winged snowfinch. Streams are also home to the grey wagtail and white-throated dipper.

Plants

The park has a wide variety of plant life. A complete list of plants would include more than 2,000 species, not counting lichens, algae, or fungi. Flowers found in the area include Marsican Iris (Iris marsica), gentian, primrose, cyclamen, violets, and lily. The most famous flower in the park is the rare lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), a yellow and black orchid.

The most common tree in the park is the beech, which covers 60% of the area. Beech trees usually grow at altitudes between 900 to 1800 meters and show off beautiful colors all year round. Some very old beech forests are found in the northern part of the park. Other tree species include black pine, mountain pine, and silver birch.

Municipalities

The park includes 25 municipalities located in 3 provinces.

Province of L'Aquila:
• Alfedena, Barrea, Bisegna, Civitella Alfedena, Gioia dei Marsi, Lecce nei Marsi, Opi, Ortona dei Marsi, Pescasseroli, Scanno, Villavallelonga, Villetta Barrea

Province of Frosinone:
• Alvito, Campoli Appennino, Pescosolido, Picinisco, San Biagio Saracinisco, San Donato Val di Comino, Settefrati, Vallerotonda

Provincia of Isernia:
• Castel San Vincenzo, Filignano, Pizzone, Rocchetta a Volturno, Scapoli

Activities

The park offers many outdoor activities, such as:

• Horse riding
• Hiking
• Cycling
• Canoeing
• Bird watching
• Skiing on mountains
• Cross-country skiing