Réserve naturelle Foresta Umbra, Nature reserve in Gargano National Park, Italy.

Foresta Umbra is a large protected woodland in southern Italy composed mainly of mature beech trees and other native species. The reserve has varied terrain with different forest types ranging from moist valleys to drier upland sections.

The forest received protection status in 1977 and was later recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This designation acknowledged its importance as one of the few remaining natural beech forests in the Mediterranean region.

The name comes from the Latin umbra, meaning dark or shadowy, describing how the wood appeared then and largely still does. The reserve is split into four concentric zones: zone A is closed to the public as a wildlife breeding area, zone B forbids noise, zone C bans motor vehicles, and zone D covers the villages inside the forest. Beech timber has long been the main product of the woodland.

The forest is accessible via numerous marked pathways that guide visitors through different elevations and woodland types. An information center near the entrance provides maps and advice to help you plan your exploration.

Camera traps set in the inner zones have photographed a pair of Apennine wolves, the female with swollen teats, indicating she was nursing cubs. The species had been absent from these woods for two centuries before returning in the second half of the 20th century.