Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park

Established in 1923 and covering about fifty thousand hectares of beech forest and limestone mountain, this park protects the Marsican brown bear, a subspecies isolated from other European bears for thousands of years, of which around fifty to sixty are thought to survive, all within and around this range. Apennine wolves and chamois also live here, and the chamois population recovered from a few dozen. Old-growth beech stands in the Val Fondillo and elsewhere are part of the UNESCO ancient beech listing. Villages including Pescasseroli, Civitella Alfedena and Opi sit inside the park, with wildlife areas restricted to protect the bears.

History

The idea for the park arose after the First World War through the work of Erminio Sipari, an environmentalist, member of the Italian parliament and cousin of Benedetto Croce, and the park was established in 1923; it is the oldest park in the Apennines and the second oldest in Italy (Wikipedia, Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park).

Highlights

• The Marsican bear - a subspecies surviving only in and around this park.
• The old beech forest - UNESCO-listed stands in the upper valleys.
• The Apennine chamois - a population recovered from near extinction.
• The park villages - Pescasseroli, Opi and Civitella Alfedena inside the boundary.

When to go

May to October for walking; some trails close seasonally to protect wildlife. Winter brings snow and ski touring. Bear sightings are rare and never guaranteed.

What to expect

Bears are very rarely seen and feeding or approaching them is prohibited. Trail closures for wildlife protection change through the year. Villages are small.

Nearby

The Majella park lies east; Scanno is north.

Key facts