Riserva Naturale Orientata delle Baragge, Regional nature reserve in Piedmont, Italy.
The Riserva Naturale Orientata delle Baragge spreads across a large protected area in the provinces of Biella, Novara, and Vercelli, with open meadows, heath lands, and wooded valleys creating a varied landscape. The reserve contains different habitats that together form a natural mosaic across thousands of hectares.
The reserve was established in 1992 to protect the remaining natural landscapes of this region and support traditional agricultural practices that help maintain the grasslands. The Baraggia lands once covered a much larger area but had declined significantly by the time protection began.
The reserve represents a living example of the traditional landscape that once covered much of this region, with open grasslands shaped by human management over centuries. Walking through these spaces, visitors encounter the relationship between local farming practices and the natural environment that still exists today.
Several entry points allow visitors to explore the area year-round with walking maps and trail information readily available through official resources. Planning ahead by checking available routes and access points helps make the most of a visit to these varied landscapes.
The grasslands support rare insect species that are difficult to find elsewhere, including specialized beetles and butterflies that depend on these specific conditions to survive. This concentration of uncommon wildlife makes the reserve a point of interest for those tracking biodiversity in the region.
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