Riserva Naturale Monte Alpe

On 27th February 1990 under the S.S. road no. 461 of Penice, in location Carpaneto, a fire burst out. Because of the strong wind, the fire rapidly extended and reached during the night most of the artificial conifer plantations of the nature reserve.
The day after, also thanks to the water thrown from the helicopters of the regional authorities, the fire was extinguished.
Because of the wind and of the features of the superficial soil, whose initial structure was very thick and which had considerable quantities of dry material inside it, the fire burnt both the tree trunks and foliage.
The fire devastated an estimated area of 141 hectares, which was exclusively covered by a contemporary and monospecific population of Austrian Pines about 60 years old.

The most damaged woods have been subject to clear cutting, since they have been irremediably jeopardized by the fire and by the following massive attacks by the Bark Beetle (Ips sexdentatus).
The fire has deeply changed the biological asset of the reserve, leading to considerable damages, but at the same time freeing dynamic forces tending to increase the biologic variety, and therefore led to a greater ecological stability.
Immediately after the fire, Azienda Regionale delle Foreste carried out urgent interventions in order to limit phenomena of hydrogeological instability and environmental deterioration. Herbaceous plants were seeded in the most damaged areas; burnt trees were removed only from partially damaged areas.

Since October 1991, the interventions regarding the clear cutting of the burnt and irremediably damaged wood have began. The involved area extended for a total of about 58.5 hectares.
Afterwards, the reforestation was carried out on the surfaces subject to clear cut by using autochthonous forest species, to recover an ecologically steady wood with a good economic value.
The number of seedlings used per hectare varied from 1,500 to 2,500 units, according to the already established presence of natural renewal.
The main species which have been used are the following ones: Quercus cerris, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Ostrya carpinifolia, Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides, Fraxinus ornus, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus avium, Prunus padus, Ulmus minor, Laburnum anagyroides, Malus sylvestris, Fagus sylvatica, Sorbus domestica, Alnus glutinosa, Abies alba, Pinus sylvestris; and the following shrubs: Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Pyrus communis, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Sambucus nigra, Rosa canina, Viburnum lantana, Ligustrum vulgare, Amelanchier ovalis.