Riserva naturale Bosco dei Rocconi, protected area in Italy (EUAP1009)
The Riserva naturale Bosco dei Rocconi is a protected nature reserve covering about 130 hectares in inner Tuscany, featuring steep rocky walls, old broadleaf forests, and two streams that flow together into a canyon. The forest includes evergreen oaks, cork oaks, and riverside trees such as poplars and willows that thrive in the limestone-rich soil.
The reserve was established in 1995 when approximately 130 hectares were purchased with support from donors, and was later connected to a larger provincial protected area in 1998. Additional land was added through donations from supporters and individuals who wanted to protect the woodland and its wildlife.
The name Bosco dei Rocconi refers to the rocky pinnacles that define the landscape. Visitors come here to experience nature in its uncontrolled state and witness how water, trees, and stone interact over time in ways that shape both the land and those who walk through it.
The reserve is accessible only by car, and the road near the entrance becomes rough for about 4 kilometers, so checking conditions before arrival is recommended. Visits must be booked in advance since the area opens only on weekends for guided tours led by WWF guides, and closures may occur due to weather or conservation work.
The reserve contains larger caves including Crepaccio Rocconi, an underground world home to rare bats like the Mediterranean horseshoe bat and endemic cave insects such as Dolichopoda etrusca. These subterranean habitats form a hidden layer of the ecosystem that supports specialized species found nowhere else in the region.
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