Riserva naturale Campigna, Protected area in Santa Sofia, Italy
Riserva naturale Campigna is a protected area between Romagna and Tuscany featuring steep mountainsides covered in thick forests. Mountain streams run through the reserve while waterfalls cascade down, and ancient beech woodlands form the backbone of the landscape.
The area received official protection in 1977, then became part of the Foreste Casentinesi Monte Falterona Campigna National Park founded in 1993. This safeguarding reflected growing recognition of these forest ecosystems' ecological value in the late twentieth century.
Hermitages like Camaldoli nearby have shaped the region for centuries and remain part of how locals relate to this landscape. Religious traditions tied to these mountain communities continue to influence how people view and use the reserve today.
The reserve has a network of marked trails open year-round for hiking and mountain biking, with guided tours regularly available. Exploring with a guide helps visitors navigate the terrain and understand the landscape better.
The reserve's white fir stand was planted by hand in the 19th century under Carlo Siemoni, the Bohemian forester hired by Grand Duke Leopold II; the beech woods around it grew from seed. The oldest beeches here date from the 1750s, and the Huperzia selago clubmoss growing on the forest floor belongs to a lineage little changed since the Carboniferous.
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