Adamello-Brenta Natural Park
The Park, located west of Trento, along the border with Lombardy, occupies a tenth of the surface of Trentino. Born in 1967, the Park offers many views of rare beauty. From Lake Tovel, which was once colored red and where there is a visitor center, to Val Genova, which with its countless waterfalls has been called the “Versailles of the Alps”. From the crystal, clear springs of Vallesinella to the views of the Cornisello lakes, at the foot of Presanella (3558 m.), with its “fiery” sunsets over the Dolomites. From the fossils of Val d’Ambiez to the mushrooms of Val Daone. An excellent network of paths allows you to visit the valleys and to climb (sometimes also by cable car) to the alpine refuges to taste traditional dishes.
The exceptional environmental conformation of the Park’s territory favors extraordinary wildlife presences that include, among others, rare and exclusive species.
So be careful not to get too far into too lonely situations: the brown bear shy and lonely carnivore is among them. Moreover, the fox, cunning predator, and five species of mustelids (badger, marten, weasel, marten and ermine).
On the prairies at high altitudes, there are numerous herds of alpine chamois; in those in the valley deer and roe deer find their best habitat. Recent reappearance in high altitude areas is the ibex, reintroduced thanks to a project implemented by the Park in collaboration with the neighboring Lombard Park.
In order to have a complete view of the animal population, mouflons and numerous rodents and insectivores (squirrels, shrews, and marmots) should be mentioned.
Equally rich and interesting is the avifauna, among which the mimetic francolino, the capercaillie and the ptarmigan are worth mentioning. Last but not least, but not least, the diurnal birds of prey (including the golden eagle and hawk, the golden and common owl, the owl and the axial owl), the reptiles and the numerous species of fish from the Alpine lakes.
About a third of the Park’s surface is covered by woods, which in the lower part are mostly broadleaf trees. For example, maple, cornel, rowan, rowan, hazel, willow, hornbeam, downy oak, and ornamental ash. In the mountain plain, on the other hand, there are beech woods and mixed deciduous and coniferous woods. The latter are often prevalent because they were favored in the past by silviculture. Where this has not happened, the pure beech woodland has been able to develop freely (Val Genova and Giudicarie esteriori). Spruce trees and larches cover the higher altitude ranges.