Protected Area
Identity Card
- Land Surface Area (ha): 10.947,00
- Regions: Piemonte
- Provinces: Torino
- Municipalities: Bussoleno, Chianocco, Coazze, Fenestrelle, Mattie, Meana di Susa, Roure, San Giorio di Susa, Susa, Usseaux, Villar Focchiardo
- Establishment Measures: LR 66 30/05/1980
- PA Official List: EUAP0223
- Park Authority: Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie
C.F. 94506780017
Orsiera Rocciavrè Park
The Park lies in a high mountain area with four peaks higher than 2,800 meters (Monte Orsiera, Rocca Nera, Punta Cristallina, P. della Gavia). The landscape is characterized by several lakes of glacial origins especially in the Middle-Eastern section of the Park (Chardonnet, La Mania, Lago Soprano, Lago Sottano, etc.). The brief and steep glacial valleys have been shaped by the watercourses. The South-Eastern section, where the green stones outcrop, is characterized by a harsh and wild morphology with thin and mainly shrubby vegetation.
Geomorphology (Italian text)
The Orsiera-Rocciavrè massif is made by rocks of different origin whose presence can be understood if it is traced back to the process of alpine orogenesis.
Climate (Italian text)
In the Park there are not the conditions for the formation of glaciers and of small permanent snow fields.
Flora and vegetation (Italian text)
The vegetation of the Park is particularly interesting both because the protected territory covers a large area in altitude, and because the three valleys in which it develops have different climatic and pedological features.
(the following links all lead to Italian texts)
- Grasslands
- Rock environments
- Juniper
- Larch woods
- Scotch pine
- Rhododendron and blackberry
- Alder wood
- Beech tree wood
- Nival valleys
- List of flora
The Park Wildlife (Italian text)
The geomorphological features of the Park territory enable many animal species to find their ideal habitat: as a matter of fact, the considerable altimetric range, the different exposure of the slopes, and the scarce human influence determine a diversity of undisturbed environments giving the opportunity to the species to find some space in the most suitable place.
(the following links all lead to Italian texts)
Chianocco and Foresto Nature Reserves
Orrido di Chianocco Nature Reserve
Orrido di Chianocco Nature Reserve was established with the aim
to preserve the only station of ilex tree in Piemonte, has a surface of
26 hectares in the territory of the Municipality of Chianocco.
It
includes the homonymous gorge, a deep fissure with a width of about ten
meters and a depth of about 50, dug by the stream Prebèc in the
carbonate rocks characterizing this part of Valle Susa and a small part
of the above-lying valley; it is necessary to say that the whole valley
of the stream Prebèc offers interesting landscapes and environments
where it is possible to observe several interesting landscapes and
several erosion phenomena and the imposing works carried out by men to
oppose them.
Orrido di Foresto Nature Reserve
Orrido di Foresto Nature Reserve was established with the aim to safeguard the Prickly Juniper and it extends itself for 200 hectares in the territory of the Municipalities of Bussoleno and Susa. It includes the wonderful gorge dug by rio Rocciamelone and the neighboring calcareous ramparts alternating to xeric grasslands. It is interesting mainly from a botanical point of view, with several species coming from very different kinds of flora, from the flora of the steppe to the flora of the Mediterranean area. The major element is the Prickly Juniper, which is easy to observe and to recognize.
The Territory of the Reserves (Italian text)
Flora (Italian text)
The Fauna of the Reserves (Italian text)
The
bottom of the valley of Valle Susa, broad and plain between Chianocco
and Susa, in its left orographic edge becomes suddenly steep with
calcareous ramparts alternating with xeric grasslands and abandoned
terracing.
- Avifauna list (Italian text)
The Traces of the Past (Italian text)
