Highlights

Parks
and Lagoons

Friuli Venezia Giulia:
a park to discover
A trove of magic sounds, unexpected encounters, infinite
panoramas and crystal clear waters. Parks and reserves
make this whole region invaluable, with its realms of rare
animals and favourite destinations for birdwatchers.
E
xperiencing Friuli Venezia Giulia also
means following the most beautiful
trails, taking in the profiles and
colours of the landscape, and discovering
the fauna and flora of an untouched
environment. From the sea, to the hills and
up to the mountains, there is a world of
fascinating opportunities awaiting you,
where you can immerse yourself in an
unspoilt environment, whose boundless
spaces are enveloped in magic silences,
only broken by the sounds and voices of
nature. Off the beaten track, you come
across tiny protected areas brimming with
unusual sceneries, or vast splendid parks.
There are two main natural parks: the Parco
delle Dolomiti Friulane the Parco delle
Prealpi Giulie. These are ideal places for
very interesting nature walks, visits and
excursions, where you can catch sight of
deer and roe deer, see tracks of bears and
lynxes, and glimpse magnificent birds
of prey soaring up above,
between the clouds. On the
other side of the region,
along the Trieste coast,
lie the nature reserves
of Miramare and of the
Falesie di Duino,
where you can dive
into the sea world on
a guided tour, or
enjoy breathtaking
settings walking
along the Rilke Trail,
with its Mediterranean
vegetation and cliffs
dropping straight into the sea. If you are
partial to lagoon landscapes, the Isola della
Cona and the Canal Novo and Cavanata
valleys have very unusual ecosystems with
a special allure for birdwatchers.
Friuli Venezia Giulia also boasts many
interesting lakeside areas, such as the
emerald green Cornino lake, a nesting
ground for the majestic griffons often seen
in the area, and the Nature reserve of
Doberdò and Pietrarossa, populated by
woodpeckers, golden jackals and its
characteristic black poplars.
Look out for the interesting geomorphologic
features of the Riserva Naturale Forra del
Cellina, the largest canyon in the region
and one of the most stunning in Italy, and
those of Val Rosandra, in the karst
highlands, featuring cliffs, vertical rock
walls, small waterfalls, lakes and gorges.
Don’t leave Friuli Venezia Giulia without
first going for a quiet horse ride along the
gentle slopes of the Parco Intercomunale
delle Colline Carniche, where, between
places of worship and ancient hamlets,
pinewoods and guided trails, you can
admire the original varieties of wild orchids
and various animal species which inhabit
this mini “compendium of the Universe”.
Come and discover the immense natural
wealth of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a unique
park in a unique region.
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INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Ente Parco Naturale Dolomiti friulane
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 27
33080 Cimolais (Pn)
Tel. +39 0427 87333
Fax +39 0427 877900
info@parcodolomitifriulane.it
www.parcodolomitifriulane.it
Parco Naturale Regionale
delle Dolomiti Friulane
Majestic dolomitic peaks and splendid natural settings.
Ideal for excursions, trekking and mountaineering.
he Regional Natural Park is situated on the mountain range towering over the
T Western Friulian Plain bordered by the Tagliamento and Piave rivers. It covers 36
950 hectares of the most beautiful land in the whole region. The dolomitic peaks
and the splendid natural settings make this area a real paradise for excursions, trekking
and mountaineering. Promotion initiatives for advertising and protecting the territory
favour schools, but do not exclude individuals and groups.
For example, “A scuola nel Parco” (at school in the park) is a project proposing both
ethnographic trails aimed at environmental observation and education, as well as sports
and recreation schemes useful for stimulating psychomotory skills. Booking is required
for these all-year activities.
Have a go at rock climbing with “Formula Ecoclimbing”;
it also offers two winter formulas: “Formula Iceland”
and “Racchette da neve” (snowshoes), which
include the technical materials needed for coping
on snowy and icy terrain.
Highlights
Permanent exhibitions in visitors’ centres
• Cimolais visitors’ centre (Pn) - Tel. +39 0427 87046
Saturdays and Sundays 10.30-12.30am / 3.30-6.30pm
The exhibition: “Educational itinerary
as an introduction to the park”
• Erto e Casso visitors’ centre (Pn) - Tel. +39 0427 879246
Saturdays and Sundays 10-12am / 2-6pm
The exhibition: “The Vajont catastrophe, a space for
memory” and “Vajont: images and memories”
• Andreis visitors’ centre (Pn) - Tel. +39 0427 764416
Sunday 4-7pm
Exhibition “Avifauna in the park”
• Poffabro visitors’ centre (Pn) - Tel. +39 0427 784944
Sunday 4-7pm
Exhibitions: “The Poffabro dairy”
and “In mont - Malghe in the park”
• Forni di Sopra visitors’ centre (Ud) - Tel. +39 0433 88080
Fridays 5-7.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays
10-12am / 5-7.30pm
Exhibition: “Vegetation in the park”
• Forni di Sotto visitors’ centre (Ud) - Tel. +39 0433 877403
Booking is required.
Exhibition: “Forest typologies in the park”
Parco Naturale Regionale
delle Prealpi Giulie
Paths crossing the valleys and snaking up the hills are also great to climb with expert
guides. In summer, the trails are imbued with the inebriating fragrance of flowers.
In winter, go for a hike on snowshoes to look for wild animal tracks in the snow.
stablished in 1996, the Regional
E Natural Park of the Julian Prealps
extends over just under 10,000
hectares, including the higher areas of the
Mount Plauris and Mount Musi ranges and
the Mount Canin massif. These areas have
been declared a reserve in virtue of their
valuable geology, nature, landscape and
also history and culture, containing as they
do unusual features which are hard to find
elsewhere. The Park Authorities organise
guided visits along the many trails running
through the valleys and up the mountains
in the protected area. In summertime you
can really feel the strong appeal of the
mountains and their brightly coloured
blossoms, while in the quieter winter
season, it is fun to walk along the snowy
paths on snowshoes, looking for footprints
left in the snow by wild animals. And it’s
not just about walks in the great outdoors,
the visitors’ centres and all the
municipalities located within the Park
territory open their doors to visitors so they
can deepen their knowledge of the natural,
historical and cultural features
distinguishing this territory.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Ente Parco Naturale Prealpi Giulie
Piazza del Tiglio, 3
33010 Prato di Resia (Ud)
Tel. +39 0433 53534/53483
Fax +39 0433 53129
info@parcoprealpigiulie.org
www.parcoprealpigiulie.org
Ufficio informazioni di Resiutta
Via Nazionale, 77
33010 Resiutta (Ud)
Tel. +39 0433 5502401
resiutta@parcoprealpigiulie.org
Highlights
Events
February - Resia Carnival
May - Eastern Alp Parks
Rendezvous
June - Rio Resartico
Mine Festival
Highlights
Some proposals
On snowshoes in Sella
Prevala. A day dedicated to
self-rescue in an avalanche
situation, which also
illustrates and tests search
techniques using ARVA
devices. In January.
Blossom Observation along
the Natura Valle Musi Trail.
In June.
The Canin plateau rock
garden and a visit to the
display showcase dedicated
to karstification and to
speleology in the Canin area.
In August.
Deer roaring in Val Uccea.
In September.
4 5

A lovely park
to visit all year
round, offering
cultural and nature
trails for people
of all ages.
Come and try
it out on foot,
on a mountain bike
or on horseback.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Comune di Villa Santina
Piazza Venezia, 1
33029 Villa Santina (Ud)
Tel. +39 0433 74040
Fax +39 0433 74040
turismovilla@tiscali.it
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Parco Intercomunale
delle Colline Carniche
he Park extends over the area where
T the Degano stream flows into the
Tagliamento river, and it owes its name
(Park of the Carnic hills) to its gentle slopes
and sunny hills covered in woodlands and
glades, although it also hosts one of the
largest and most fertile plains in Carnia.
It is situated at a low altitude and can
be visited all year round.
The trails are all easy and can be followed
even on a fine winter’s day, although visits
may not be possible in some icy areas.
Spring is the best time for admiring the
flora, but winter colours also offer
a spectacle of rare beauty.
It is the ideal place for cultural and nature
excursions for people of all ages. A network
of trails take you past sites of both natural
and historical interest, open views and
unusual sights. Some of these tracks are
also for mountain biking and the famous
race “Gran Fondo” is held here.
Highlights
Activities and park
attractions
Go for a horse ride, setting out
from the stables situated inside
the Pineta di Villa Santina.
The stables also organize
hippotherapy activities.
As part of the Park’s initiatives
of propagation and promotion,
an orienteering map has been
adapted for children, so they
can really get close to nature.
The aim is to extend this
experience to other areas in the
region and to further the
development of this discipline
as a competitive sport. Many
attractions in the park can be
reached by car: the network
has car parks and welcoming,
easily accessible, well
equipped recreation areas.
Riserva Naturale Regionale
delle Falesie di Duino
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Comune di Duino-Aurisina
Aurisina, 102
34013 Duino Aurisina (Ts)
Tel. +39 040 2017371
www.comune.duino-aurisina.ts.it
Highlights
Ecotourism
In an attempt to preserve
this unspoilt environment,
flower picking, walking
dogs off leads, cycling
along the Rilke trail,
lighting fires and leaving
litter are not allowed.
There is a refreshment bar
part way along the trail.
The Rilke trail winds along
an easy path imbued with the
fragrances of Mediterranean
vegetation, offering wonderful
views of white cliffs dropping
down into a deep blue sea.
E
stablished in 1996, the Duino
Regional Nature Reserve extends over
107 hectares, along a strip of land
where the climate change from Middle
European to Mediterranean is clearly visible.
Its high biodiversity gives life to a landscape
of rare beauty, featuring white limestone
cliffs dropping straight into the sea. The
path named after bohemian poet, Rainer
Maria Rilke, was inaugurated in 1987 and
extends over 1700 metres. It provides
access to the Nature Reserve from both
Sistiana and Duino (both areas have car
parks). The trail is more or less on level
ground, so anyone can manage the walk and
admire the morphology of the rocks and its
wealth of protected flora and fauna. Like
the whole karst plateau, the Duino cliffs are
made of carbonate rocks created by the
sedimentation of animal shells on the
bottom of a shallow sea. About 50 million
years ago, the sea bed was brought to the
surface by earthquakes thrusting upwards,
causing the formation of the sharp towering
outcrops overhanging the gulf. Despite the
fact that most of the Reserve is covered in
black pines (typical continental vegetation)
the protected area highlights the change
from woodland to Mediterranean brushwood,
mainly composed of holly oaks and
hornbeams, which gradually give way to
shrubs towards the sea. This is a suitable
habitat for reptiles (snakes, adders and
lizards) and nesting for non-migratory birds
such as blue rock thrushes, herring-gulls
and ravens, not to mention the peregrine,
an endangered species which has found
shelter in the most inaccessible points on
the cliffs. In autumn and spring, you can
often catch sight of various migratory or
wintering species, like grebes, and the
pinewood is home to chaffinches, jays,
woodpeckers, sparrowhawks and also some
squirrel colonies.
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Camargue horses and a host of bird species make for wonderful horse riding and birdwatching.
There are cycling trips and boat trips, in a heterogeneous environment, with fresh water
swamps, reed thickets and watery meadows. Plus a refreshment bar and refuge.
Highlights
Facilities
• Visitors’ centre
• Duck museum
• Marinetta Observatory
Cjos Observatory
• Birdwatching stations
• “Al Pettirosso”
Refreshment bar
• Conference Hall
• Didactic hall
• “Isola della Cona”
Nature refuge
• Equipped trails
• Bike hire
• Binocular hire
• Boat trips
• Horse riding
Reservations for:
guided visits, lunches,
games activities for
groups, birdwatching,
summer camps.
Events
The river and the stars.
Music, art and culture
in the Reserve.
Period: July - August.
Verdeacqua. Public
meetings to present
the various activities
in the Reserve.
Period: September.
Riserva Naturale Regionale
della Foce dell’Isonzo
T
he Foce dell’Isonzo Regional Nature
Reserve extends over about 2400
hectares along the last 15 kilometres
of the Isonzo river, and is the northernmost
wetland in the Mediterranean. The terrain
features a host of heterogeneous
environments, benefiting the presence
of many animal and plant species, some
of which are extremely rare. When you visit
the protected area you can immerse
yourself in its unspoilt nature and enjoy
splendid sceneries of seascapes, freshwater
swamps, reed thickets, watery meadows,
tall herb woods and river forelands.
It is an area of remarkable ecological
interest, thanks to its high biodiversity:
besides the many species of birds and
reptiles, it also hosts herds of Camargue
horses. The facilities designed for observing
the fauna fit harmoniously into the natural
environment and will meet the needs
of anyone seeking peace and tranquillity.
Inside the area you can enjoy typical
dishes, buy handy packed meals at the
Bar Pettirosso and spend the night in the
spacious and welcoming refuge for hikers.
The reserve plans to meet its own energy
needs with renewable sources: plants have
been set up to allow the facilities to work
exploiting the biomasses (for heating the
buildings) and solar energy via solar panels
and photovoltaics (for producing hot water
and electricity respectively).
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Reserve Operational management
Il Mosaico Consorzio di Cooperative Sociali - Gorizia
Registered office: Viale XXIV Maggio, 5 - 34170 Gorizia
Tel. +39 0432 998133
Fax +39 0432 997021
isoladellacona@Consorzioilmosaico.org
www.isoladellacona.it
Ticket office opening times:
9am - 6pm in summer
9am - 5pm in winter.
Closed on Thursdays.
Riserva Naturale
Regionale
Foci dello Stella
Highlights
Visit the Reserve
The Foce dello Stella Regional Nature
Reserve can only be visited via water.
From October to May visitors can enter
the Reserve on the motor ship which for
years has guided tourists in their
discovery of the lagoon. From Mondays
to Thursdays, visits are for
schoolchildren alone, while on
Saturdays and Sundays anyone wishing
to learn more about this exclusive corner
of Friuli Venezia Giulia is welcome.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitors’ centre
Comune di Marano Lagunare -
Ufficio riserve naturali
Via delle valli, 2
33050 Marano Lagunare (Ud)
Tel. +39 0431 67551
Fax +39 0431 67930
rnmarano@libero.it
www.riservenaturali.maranolagunare.com
Seasonal opening hours
The Reserve is open all year round.
Closed on Mondays.
Opening times:
mid September to end of May
9am to 5pm
June to mid September
9am to 2pm / 4pm to 8pm
The only resurgence river in the Adriatic flows into the lagoon and
is inhabited by a wealth of avifauna. The large reed thicket provides
shelter for red herons and marsh harriers.
he protected area extends over 1377 hectares, including the delta of the Stella
T river and some typical wetlands, featuring remarkable variations in salinity and
temperature, with canals, intertidal mud and sandbanks. The heart of the
Regional Nature Reserve is the mouth of a resurgent river in a lagoon area: the only
one of its kind in the Adriatic. The exceptionally rich profusion of avifauna adds
significantly to the naturalistic value of the reserve. Countless species and quantities of
birds populate and animate the marshy environment during the year. Many rest here for
a while as they migrate, some spend the winter here and others find the perfect place
to nest here. The main species populating these wetlands find shelter in the large reed
thicket. Birds nesting here include red herons, marsh harriers, various passeriformes
such as reed pheasants, Savi’s warblers, great reed warblers and reed wrens. In winter,
large flocks of waterfowls, mostly coots and anatids, gather together in the lagoon inlets
surrounding the reed thickets.
8 9

Riserva Naturale
della Forra del Cellina
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Ente Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 27
33080 Cimolais (Pn)
Tel. +39 0427 87333
Fax +39 0427 877900
info@parcodolomitifriulane.it
www.parcodolomitifriulane.it
Over the years a strong torrent has dug a narrow canyon-like gorge,
which can be seen in all its glory from “Troi del Dint”.
he Forra del Cellina Nature Reserve incorporates the most important part of the large furrow dug by the Cellina
T torrent in the limestone strata, between the large prealp Barcis valley and the high plains of Montereale.
The narrow gorge, carved away over the years by the torrent, resembles a grand canyon and features intense
phenomena of erosion and karstification, creating a striking landscape. You can visit the protected area along the
“Troi del Dint” (“Dint path”), a themed itinerary taking you to many natural sights and panoramas over the stunning
canyon. Itineraries inside the gorge and other natural cavities are in the pipeline, such as the “Educational caves
of Valcellina and the Old Dam”.
Riserva Naturale Regionale
Lago di Cornino
An equipped area,
with a host of
observation points
where majestic
griffons soar
overhead. These
vultures nest on the
rocks overlooking
the emerald green
lake. Many trails
suitable for trekking
start here.
Highlights
Tips
The best time to observe griffons
in flight is in the morning.
You are also advised to bring
binoculars, suitable clothing, food
and water if you are going for an
excursion in the area. Please respect
the local flora and fauna.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitors’ centre
Tel./Fax +39 0427 808526
Open all year on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
Winter opening times: 9am - 5pm
Summer opening times: 9am - 6pm
Managing Body
Comune di Forgaria nel Friuli (Ud)
Piazza Tre Martiri, 4
33030 Forgaria nel Friuli (Ud)
Tel. +39 0427 808137
Fax +39 0427 808136
www.riservacornino.it
he small Cornino Lake Regional Nature Reserve covers a surface area of about 500
T hectares between Forgaria nel Friuli and Trasaghis. The wide bed of the
Tagliamento river and the rocky walls of the Carnic Prealps embrace a territory
brimming with floristic and vegetational species, where for the last twenty years an
international project for the conservation of the griffon-vulture has been developed.
An ideal destination for schoolchildren and birdwatchers, the Reserve offers guided
excursions along panoramic trails: there are a host of observation points, where you
can admire the many faunal species inhabiting the area, and, in particular, the griffons
soaring across the morning sky. There are also areas set up for packed meals.
The visitors’ centre displays and illustrates the territory’s natural characteristics
and its peculiarities, with a large area dedicated to birds,
in particular European vultures. Adjacent to the centre
are some aviaries and a terrarium. Easy equipped
trails set out from here to the beautiful Lake
Cornino and its surrounding river environment.
Experienced hikers can follow one of the many
trekking itineraries leading to the plateau
of Monte Prat and Monte Cuar.
10 11

Riserva Naturale Regionale
dei laghi di Doberdò e Pietrarossa
Doberdò, one of
the few karst lakes
in Europe. Its water
reflects the black
poplars, an ideal
shelter for
woodpeckers,
including the rare
lesser spotted
woodpecker.
And you may catch
sight of a golden
jackal in the
wetlands and the
marsh meadows.
Highlights
Visitors’ centre’s
initiatives
The Gradina Visitors’
centre is not far from
the village of Doberdò
(Doberdob); its
interactive, scenic
displays present various
itineraries highlighting
the ecological and
historic/cultural features
needed in order to
understand the protected
area. The Reserve
contains the
archaeological site of
a castelliere dating back
to the bronze age
(ca. 2000-ca.1000 BC).
This is an ancient village
defended by walls built
in dry laid masonry,
bearing witness to the
first forms of dwellings
in Carso, dating back
to protohistory.
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T
he Regional Nature Reserve lies on
the western boundary of the karst
plateau and includes three
municipalities in the province of Gorizia:
Doberdò del Lago/Doberdob, Monfalcone
and Ronchi dei Legionari.
The area features two karst depressions
partially occupied by lakes and separated
by a ridge. The larger depression houses
the Doberdò lake, one of the few karst
lakes in Europe. Its water level varies
with the levels of the Vipacco and Isonzo
rivers. During the drier periods, its water
level drops and the lake surface is
reduced to canals and small pools.
This particular hydrological regime
is characteristic of karst lakes, which
alternately undergo flooded periods
(spring and autumn) and dry periods
(winter and summer).
Along the banks of lake Doberdò lies
a thin strip of riparian wood, formed
mostly by black poplars and other forest
trees which provide excellent shelter
for nesting woodpeckers, including the
famous lesser spotted woodpecker.
The lake ecosystem contrasts with the
surrounding barrenness of the karst
environment, hence the protected area’s
high biodiversity. Along the reserve trails
you can admire the typical wetland
landscapes surrounding the lakes as they
merge into barren steppe and furrowed
fields. The area is also populated by a
large variety of mammals, from the more
common species such as roe deer to
other, less easily sighted species such
as the golden jackal.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitor’s Centre
Via Vallone, 32
34070 Doberdò del Lago (Go)
Tel. +39 0481 784111
Managing Body
Via Roma, 30
34070 Comune di Doberdò del Lago
Tel. +39 0481 78108
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Frazione Zolla, 37
34016 Comune di Monrupino
Tel. +39 040 327335
Sgonico, 45
34010 Comune di Sgonico
Tel. +39 040 229101
www.parks.it/riserva.monte.lanaro
www.parks.it/riserva.monte.orsario
The Carso freely expresses itself here, in dolines and furrowed
fields, home to wild cats and European hedgehogs.
Riserve Naturali
Regionali
del Monte Lanaro
e del Monte Orsario
he Regional Nature Park Reserves extend over 285 hectares (Lanaro) and 156
T hectares (Orsario) of gentle hilly land; both are situated within the municipalities
of Sgonico (Zgonik) and Monrupino (Repentabor). This land features typical karst
plateau landscapes. The Monte Lanaro area features hilly heights and well-preserved
woodlands which have been left untouched by man.
The Monte Orsario area, on the other hand, is dotted with dolines, round dells caused
by water erosion. There are also many furrowed fields, limestone outcrops bearing
grooves, holes and small basins corroded by atmospheric
agents. These are the famous phenomena of the karst
surface. The extended areas of karst brush
alternates with beautiful durmast and turkey oak
woods and a profusion of black pines growing
in the southern half. Wild cats and European
hedgehogs have been sighted in the area,
while the number of brown bears and
jackals is marginal.
13

14
T
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Ente Parco Naturale Prealpi Giulie
Piazza del Tiglio, 3
33010 Prato di Resia (Ud)
Tel. +39 0433 53534/53483
Fax +39 0433 53129
info@parcoprealpigiulie.org
www.parcoprealpigiulie.org
Direzione centrale risorse agricole, naturali,
forestali e montagna
Servizio tutela ambienti naturali e fauna
Via di Toppo, 40
33100 Udine
Tel. +39 0432 555290
Fax +39 0432 507751
p.o.tutelambienti@regione.fvg.it
Spectacular rocky ridges, waterfalls, crystal clear torrents and untamed woods.
The habitat of rare flowers such as white buttercups and Julian poppies.
Riserva Naturale Regionale
della Val Alba
he Val Alba Regional Nature Reserve extends over 3000 hectares and contains
a remarkable example of an almost unspoilt mountain environment situated in the
eastern part of the southern Carnic Alps, adjacent to the Julian Alps and Prealps.
Furrowed by rio Alba and rio Simon, it features spectacular rocky ridges, waterfalls,
crystal clear torrents and untamed woods, as well as wreckages from military action
which took place immediately after the First World War. This area is home to ungulates
but also a thoroughfare for large carnivores from Slovenia. At relatively low altitudes the
vegetation consists of manna-ash and hop-hornbeam, as well as black pine which
colonizes the particularly steep rocky terrains, while the wetlands in the gorge are
populated by badgers. There is also an important, albeit limited distribution of floristic
species such as white buttercups, Julian poppies and lilies.
Visit this former fishing valley and its Visitors’ centre, featuring typical casoni.
Plus the aquarium where you can learn about the organisms inhabiting this
extraordinary environment.
Riserva Naturale Regionale
Valle Canal Novo
T
he Val Canal Novo Regional Nature
Reserve covers a total surface area
of 121 hectares, made up of a
former fishing valley bearing the same
name, a small lagoon area called
“Corniolo” and some sowable land.
A complex natural ecosystem, it includes
wetlands and water of varying levels of
salinity. A lagoon visitors’ centre has been
set up inside the reserve, not far from
Marano, based on the English Wetlands
Centre. Some edifices have been built in
the traditional style of the local casoni
(fishermen’s houses) and equipped with
modern facilities and didactic
instruments, for the purpose of offering
advanced methods and new opportunities
for getting to know the enchanting
wetlands better. In addition to the huts
and structures built for observing the
avifauna and studying the lagoon
environment, an aquarium has recently
been built in the area so visitors can
immerse themselves in the lagoon and
discover the various organisms inhabiting
this extraordinary environment. Most of
the tanks are set in a scenery which
ideally reproduces a section of the most
important lagoon habitats: the river
mouth, sandbanks, hummocks, canals
and dunes. A new important facility has
recently been built within the reserve:
the cason sarsegna: modern, cosy guest
quarters which can hold up to 60 people.
Individual classes or groups of students
who stay for a few days have an original
opportunity for deepening their knowledge
of a unique land in terms of its history,
nature and culture, in an engaging,
exclusive way.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitors’ centre
Comune di Marano Lagunare - Ufficio riserve naturali
Via delle valli, 2
33050 Marano Lagunare (Ud)
Tel. +39 0431 67551
Fax +39 0431 67930
rnmarano@libero.it
www.riservenaturali.maranolagunare.com
Seasonal opening hours:
The reserve is open all year round, from Tuesday
to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
Opening hours:
mid September to end of May 9am to 5 pm
June to mid September 9am to 2pm / 4pm to 8pm
15

Riserva Naturale Regionale
della Valle Cavanata
Highlights
Visitors’ centre’s
initiatives
The reserve is visitorfriendly,
with easy
trails and educational
and propagational
resources available
at the Visitors’ centre.
Many of its trails let
you observe the birds
in their habitat,
on your exploration
of a territory immersed
in unspoilt nature.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitors’ centre
Località Fossalon di Grado
Tel. +39 0431 88272
Managing Body
Piazza Biagio Marin, 4
34073 Comune di Grado
Tel. +39 0431 898111
Fax +39 0431 898202
s.tutelambienti.fauna.agrifor@regione.fvg.it
www.parks.it/riserva.valle.cavanata/
An area of international value inhabited by many waterfowl species,
on sandbanks, beaches and in canals.
he Valle Cavanata Regional Nature Reserve extends over about 340 hectares
T
(67 under seawater) within the municipality of Grado. The area is criss-crossed
with canals and watercourses communicating with the open sea through locks;
before being declared a protected area, the whole valley was dedicated to fishing and
hunting: the woods and glades along the canals have always been populated by a large
number of animal species. Inside the reserve are various beaches as well as a host of
sandbanks, islands brimming with vegetation which thrives in contact with sea water,
while in seasons of low tide, many areas of intertidal mud appear on the beds of the
watercourses. The diversified ecological environment, characterised by a wet climate,
has led to the formation of particularly suitable habitats for many species of waterfowls.
Hence the Valle Cavanata has been declared a wetland of
international importance for avifauna by the Ramsar convention.
It guarantees optimum conditions for wetland birds to nest
and spend the winter.
Where the alpine
terrain meets
the sea, in a spot
boasting a
Roman aqueduct,
a 36-metre waterfall
and a path built
along a former
railway track.
Wonderful for
lovers of trekking
and mountain biking,
and a thrill for
climbers and
potholers
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Comune di San Dorligo
della Valle Dolina, 270
34018 San Dorligo della Valle
Tel. +39 040 8329111
Fax +39 040 228874
www.sandorligo-dolina.it
Riserva Naturale Regionale
della Val Rosandra
I
nstituted in 1996, the Val Rosandra
Regional Nature Reserve covers a
surface area of about 746 hectares in
the municipality of San Dorligo della Valle
- Dolina, in the southeastern part of the
Trieste province. It encloses a valley
carved out by the Rosandra stream, and
as the area is a meeting point between
the mountain terrain and the coast, it is
home to many animal species, some
central European and others belonging to
the Mediterranean ecosystem. The two
sides of the valley are geologically very
different: the sunny northeast slope of
vertical flysch walls has a mostly warm
temperate climate, while a cold climate
prevails on the southwestern slope of
mainly scree which is exposed to the wind
and has no direct sunlight.
The Bora wind blows through this natural
passage, from the inland to the coast,
thus contributing to creating a unique,
varied microclimate. This territory has
an interesting population of reptiles and
amphibians as well as avifauna which live
and nest in the woodlands.
Val Rosandra is visited by many climbers
and potholers, as well as lovers of
unspoilt nature: it is renowned for its
climbing practice wall, where climbing
courses are organized for various different
levels. Many itineraries lead to caves with
ancient writings, or to the ruins of castles
and castellieri, running alongside streams
to viewpoints offering stunning panoramas
over the gulf of Trieste.
The valley also boasts a 36-metre
waterfall on the Rosandra river and the
ruins of a Roman aqueduct which lies
along the first stretch of the “Sentiero
dell’amicizia - Pot prijateljstva” footpath.
A former railway line passes through Val
Rosandra, which until 1959 connected
Trieste to Hrpelje in Slovenia. The whole
railway route has now been turned into a
cycle footpath leading from Borst -
Sant’Antonio in Bosco to Draga Sant’Elia.
16 17

A few minutes away from Trieste, near the famous castle and interesting historic and
natural jewels, it offers the thrills of diving, guided visits and sea-watching courses.
Riserva Naturale
Marina di Miramare
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Visitors’ centre
Riserva Naturale Marina di Miramare
Viale Miramare, 349
34014 Grignano - Trieste
Tel. +39 040 224147
Fax +39 040 224636
info@riservamarinamiramare.it
www.riservamarinamiramare.it
Managing Body
Associazione Italiana per il WWF
for Nature - ONLUS
18
he Miramare Marina Nature Reserve
T was established in 1986 and
extends around the Miramare
promontory, a littoral offshoot embedded
between the tourist marina in Grignano
and the Barcola seashore, just a few
kilometres northwest of Trieste.
It is situated inside a tourist hub
combining natural and historic/cultural
features, including Miramare castle and
park, a museum and historic residence
protected by the Cultural Heritage Office;
the museo delle ex Scuderie di Miramare,
a museum housing a host of exhibitions
and shows and the modern Immaginario
Scientifico Science Center in the bay of
Grignano. The karst plateau can be
reached along historic footpaths which
start out from Miramare promontory and
lead up to Contovello past terracings of
vineyards and olive groves offering
breathtaking views over the gulf of Trieste.
This fully protected area extends over 30
hectares and is surrounded by 90 partially
protected hectares, known as the buffer
zone, which was established in 1994.
The Marine Reserve’s operating base is
housed inside the gardens adjacent to
Miramare castle, in a small building
commonly known as the “castelletto di
Miramare”. This also houses the Visitors’
centre, the Marine Environmental
Educational centre (CEAM), a themed
library, a lecture hall and a science
laboratory.
Highlights
Visitors’ centre’s initiatives
The visitors’ centre is open every
day from 9am to 5pm from October
to March and from 9am to 6.30 pm
from April to September. Guided
visits can be booked. An itinerary
has been recreated inside the centre
through the reserve’s marine
environments where you can learn
about the organisms populating it.
Many initiatives are organized
between March and November, to
deepen visitors’ knowledge of the
marine world: guided sea-watching
tours and diving tours with aqualungs
for licensed divers. Other exciting
courses are the “Blue weekends”
and the sea-watching courses for
children. Since 1989 the
educational team at the Miramare
Marine Reserve has planned and
offered a varied range of fun
educational activities for schools
of all levels, from infant school
to secondary school; during the
school’s summer term holiday week,
children have a chance to get
familiar with scientific instruments
and observation techniques and
to discover the wealth of the
marine ecosystem.
Steep rugged rock walls and Norway spruce, black pine and larch woods.
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Managing Body
Ministero delle Politiche Agricole,
Alimentari e Forestali
Corpo Forestale dello Stato
Ufficio Territoriale
per la Biodiversità
Via Romana, 35
33018 Tarvisio (Ud)
Tel. +39 0428 2786/2787
Fax +39 0428 644017
utb.tarvisio@corpoforestale.it
Riserve Naturali Integrali
di Rio Bianco e Cucco
T
he fully protected nature reserves
of Rio Bianco and Cucco were
established in 1975 within the
Forest of Tarvisio. Both feature rare
ecological aspects of great value.
The Rio Bianco Nature Reserve extends over
378 hectares at 700- 1900 metres above
sea level. Its boundaries, at first glance
very tortuous and irregular, were drawn
precisely to include all the unspoilt areas
which, due to their inaccessibility, had
remained untouched by human activity
in the past. The rugged aspect of the
overhanging cliffs makes for a very
attractive landscape, but only leaves
space for small areas of woodland.
Indeed, mixed woods of Norway spruce,
black pines,
Scots pines and larch only become
established where they can, often
accompanied by a thick carpet of shrubs.
Beech and spruce woods only grow in the
most sheltered hollows.
The Cucco Nature Reserve extends over 21
hectares near the Rio Bianco reserve, at
800 metres above sea level, in the area
near the Malborghetto, on the moraine
slope of Monte Alpe Piccola. It is
distinguished by the presence of a pure
population of Austrian black pines;
despite its limited size, it is populated
by a host of animal species.
19

Easy to reach, hard to forget
TURISMO FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA
Piazza Manin, 10 loc. Passariano
33033 Codroipo (Ud) - Italy
tel. +39 0432 815111
fax +39 0432 815199
info@turismo.fvg.it
TEL. 0039 0432 734100
DSF design / photo: Vicario, Musi, Valenti, Michelis, Di Gallo, Ota, Di Lenardo, Paolini, Gaudenzio, Felcher, Aila & Francesco Zanuttin, de Martin, la LIPU e gli Archivi fotografici di tutti i Parchi e le Riserve citati nello
stampato / in collaborazione con: Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Direzione centrale risorse agricole, naturali, forestali e montagna - Servizio tutela ambienti naturali e fauna / printed by: Grafiche Manzanesi
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