Area naturale protetta di interesse locale del Monteferrato, Protected natural reserve in Montemurlo and Prato, Italy.
The Monteferrato reserve covers several thousand hectares of forested hills and mountains along the northern edge of the Florence, Prato, and Pistoia plains. The landscape includes wooded slopes, meadows, and scattered rural settlements woven into the natural terrain.
The area received official protection status in 1997 to preserve the hill and mountain landscape north of the Tuscan plains. The region had been inhabited and farmed for centuries before formal designation.
Traditional farmhouses and tower structures scattered across the hills show how communities have lived and worked this land over centuries. These buildings remain visible reminders of the rural way of life that has shaped the area.
The reserve can be visited throughout the year, with spring and autumn offering the most pleasant hiking conditions. Trails vary in difficulty, so visitors should wear sturdy footwear and bring weather-appropriate clothing, particularly at higher elevations.
Camera traps captured an image of a golden jackal here in 2021, an animal species that had long been absent from Tuscany. This sighting revealed that wildlife in the region is slowly shifting as species return to the area.
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