Gran Paradiso National Park

Last updated
Parco nazionale del Gran Paradiso
Parc national du Grand-Paradis
Le prime luci dell'alba in Valle Orco - Ceresole Reale, Colle del Nivolet.jpg
Parco-Gran Paradiso-Posizione.png
Location of park
Coordinates 45°30′10″N7°18′36″E / 45.50278°N 7.31000°E / 45.50278; 7.31000 Coordinates: 45°30′10″N7°18′36″E / 45.50278°N 7.31000°E / 45.50278; 7.31000
Area703 km2 (271 sq mi) [1]
Established1922
Governing bodyMinistero dell'Ambiente
www.pngp.it

Gran Paradiso National Park (Italian: Parco nazionale del Gran Paradiso; [2] French : Parc national du Grand Paradis), is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. [3] The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park; it is contiguous with the French Vanoise National Park. The land the park encompasses was initially protected in order to protect the Alpine ibex from poachers, as it was a personal hunting ground for King Victor Emmanuel II, but now also protects other species. [4]

Contents

History

In the early 19th century, due to hunting, the Alpine ibex survived in the Gran Paradiso and Vanoise area. Approximately 60 individual ibex survived, here. [5] Ibex were intensively hunted, partly for sport, but also because their body parts were thought to have therapeutic properties: [4] talismans were made from a small cross-shaped bone near the ibex's heart in order to protect against violent death. [3] Due to the alarming decrease in the ibex population, Victor Emmanuel, soon to be King of Italy, declared the Royal Hunting Reserve of the Gran Paradiso in 1856. A protective guard was created for the ibex. Paths laid out for the ibex are still used today as part of 724 kilometres (450 mi) of marked trails and mule tracks. [4]

In 1920 Victor Emmanuel II's grandson King Victor Emmanuel III donated the park's original 21 square kilometres (5,189 acres), [4] and the park was established in 1922. [2] It was Italy's first national park. [6] There were approximately 3,000 ibex in the park when it was instituted. The institution of the park led to an increase in the ibex population, which reached 4,000 by 1933. In the following decade, despite the presence of the park, a worsening of the quality of surveillance under Fascist rule, poaching, and World War II led to a steady decrease of the ibex population. By 1945 only 419 remained. [7] Their protection was re-established after the war, and there were 4,000 in the park in 2005. [4]

Geography

Gran Paradiso mountain Gran Paradiso Panorama.jpg
Gran Paradiso mountain
Plateau de Nivolet Altopiano del Nivolet.jpg
Plateau de Nivolet

The park is located in the Graian Alps in the regions of Piedmont (in the Metropolitan City of Turin) and Aosta Valley in north-west Italy. [2] [3] It encompasses 703 square kilometres (173,715 acres) of alpine terrain. [4] 10% of the park's surface area is wooded. 16.5% is used for agriculture and pasture, 24% is uncultivated, and 40% is classified as sterile. 9.5% of the park's surface area is occupied by 57 glaciers. [3] The park's mountains and valleys were sculpted by glaciers and streams. [8] Altitudes in the park range from 800-4,061 metres (2,624-13,323 ft), with an average altitude of 2,000 metres (6,561 ft). [2] Valley floors in the park are forested. There are alpine meadows at higher altitudes. There are rocks and glaciers at altitudes higher than the meadows. [8] Gran Paradiso is the only mountain entirely within the boundaries of Italy that is over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) high. [9] Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn can be seen from its summit. [9] In 1860, John Cowell became the first person to reach the summit. [10] To the west, the park shares a boundary with France's Vanoise National Park. [2] They co-operate in managing the ibex population, which moves across their shared boundary seasonally. [11]

Flora

The park in autumn Autumn in the Valle di Champorcher (10833229265).jpg
The park in autumn

The park's woods are important because they provide shelter for a large number of animals. They are a natural defence against landslides, avalanches, and flooding. The two main types of woods found in the park are coniferous and deciduous woods. [12] The deciduous European beech forests are common on the Piedmont side of the park, and are not found on the dryer Valle d'Aosta side. These forests are thick with dense foliage that lets in very little light during the summer. The beech leaves take a long time to decompose, and they form a thick layer on the woodland floor that impedes the development of other plants and trees. [12] Larches are the most common trees in the forests on the valley floors. They are mixed with spruces, Swiss stone pines, and more rarely silver firs. [8]

Maple and lime forests are found in gulleys. These forests are only present in isolated areas and are at risk of extinction. Downy oak woods are more common in the Aosta Valley area than in the Piedmont area because of its higher temperatures and lower precipitation. Oak is not a typical species in the park and it is often found mixed with Scots pine. The park's chestnut groves have been affected by human cultivation for wood and fruit. It rarely grows above 1,000 metres (3,280 ft), and the most important chestnut forests are in the park's Piedmontese side. The park's conifer woods include Scots pine groves, spruce forests dominated by the Norway spruce, often mixed with larch. Larch and Swiss stone pine woods are found up to the highest sub-alpine level (2200–2300 metres (7,217-7,546 ft)). [12]

At higher altitudes the trees gradually thin out and there are alpine pastures. These pastures are rich in flowers in the late spring. [8] The wildflowers in the park's high meadows include wild pansies, gentians, martagon lilies, and alpenroses. The park has many rocky habitats. They are mostly located above the timberline and alpine pastures. These areas have rock and detritus on their surface. Alpine plants have adapted to these habitats by assuming characteristics like dwarfism, hairiness, bright coloured flowers, and highly developed roots. [13] About 1,500 plant species can be seen at Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden near Cogne inside the park. [4]

Fauna

Alpine ibex. 2006-08-06 31.jpg
Alpine ibex.
Marmot MarmottaGranParadiso.jpg
Marmot

Alpine ibex graze in the abundant mountain pastures in summer, and descend to lower elevations in winter. [4] Gran Paradiso's pairing with Vanoise National Park provides year-round protection to the ibex. [14] Along with the ibex, the animal species found in the park include ermine, weasel, hare, [10] Eurasian badger, alpine chamois, wolf (recently arrived from Central Italy) and maybe even lynx. [4] The ibex and chamois spend most of the year above the tree line. They descend to the valleys in the winter and spring. Alpine marmot forage on plants along the snow line. [4]

There are more than 100 bird species in the park, including Eurasian eagle-owl, rock ptarmigan, alpine accentor, and chough. Golden eagles nest on rocky ledges, and sometimes in trees. Wallcreeper are found on steep cliffs. There are black woodpeckers and nutcrackers in the park's woodlands. [4]

The park supports many species of butterflies including apollos, peak whites, and southern white admirals. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graian Alps</span> Mountain range in the western part of the Alps

The Graian Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps.

Gran Paradiso Mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy

The Gran Paradiso or Grand Paradis is a mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy, located between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine ibex</span> Species of mammal

The Alpine ibex, also known as the steinbock, bouquetin, or simply ibex, is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. It is a sexually dimorphic species: males are larger and carry longer, curved horns than females. Its coat colour is typically brownish grey. Alpine ibex tend to live in steep, rough terrain near the snow line. They are also social, although adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. Four distinct groups exist; adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed-sex groups.

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park is an Italian national park established in 1923. The majority of the park is located in the Abruzzo region, with smaller parts in Lazio and Molise. It is sometimes called by its former name Abruzzo National Park. The park headquarters are in Pescasseroli in the Province of L'Aquila. The park's area is 496.80 km2 (191.82 sq mi).

Maurienne Former Savoy province

Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Vanoise National Park French national park in Savoie

Vanoise National Park is a French national park between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys in the French Alps, containing the Vanoise massif. It was created in 1963 as the first national park in France.

Carnia

Carnia is a historical-geographic region in the northeastern Italian area of Friuli. Its 27 municipalities all belong to the Province of Udine, which itself is part of the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

Herbétet Mountain in Italy

Herbétet is a mountain in the Gran Paradiso massif, a sub-group of the Graian Alps, with an elevation of 3,778 m. It is located between the Cogne Valley and the Valsavarenche Valley.

Nivolet Pass Mountain pass in the Graian Alps in northern Italy

The Nivolet Pass is a mountain pass in the Eastern group of the Graian Alps in northern Italy. It is located at the top of the Orco Valley on the road from Turin to Ceresole Reale, in the Gran Paradiso National Park. Beyond the pass, the road terminates in the upper reaches of the eponymous Valsavarenche valley in the Gran Paradiso mountain group, before the valley descends to Valsavarenche and Villeneuve. The colle forms part of the boundary between the Aosta Valley and the Piedmont region. The highest point of the paved road is 2,641 metres. Two artificial lakes, Serrù Lake and Agnel Lake, are located immediately below the pass.

Orco Valley Valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy

The Orco Valley is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy located in the Graian Alps, in the territory of the Metropolitan City of Turin. The valley takes its name from the Orco river, which flows through the valley.

Chiusella Valley

The Chiusella valley is a valley in the Province of Turin.

Renzo Videsott was an Italian alpinist and conservationist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan City of Turin</span> Metropolitan city in Piedmont, Italy

The Metropolitan City of Turin is a metropolitan city in the Piedmont region, Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin. It replaced the Province of Turin and comprises the city of Turin and 311 other municipalities (comuni). It was created by the reform of local authorities and established by the Law 56/2014. It has been officially operating since 1 January 2015.

Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park is a national park in the province of Belluno, Veneto, in the northern Italy.

Mont Tout Blanc Mountain in Italy

The Mont Tout Blanc is a 3,438.2 metres high mountain belonging to the Italian side of Graian Alps.

Punta Leynir Mountain in Italy

The Punta Leynir is a 3,238 metres high mountain belonging to the Italian side of Graian Alps.

Punta Bes Mountain in Italy

The Punta Bes is a 3,177 metres high mountain belonging to the Italian side of Graian Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alps conifer and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Central Europe

The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.

Roc (Gran Paradiso) Mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy

The Roc is a mountain of the Gran Paradiso massif, in the Graian Alps in Italy. It is located between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions and is the highest point in the Metropolitan City of Turin.

References

  1. 1 2 "Gran Paradiso National Park". World Database on Protected Areas. Archived from the original on 2006-08-28. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso". Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Price, Gillian (1997). Walking in Italy's Gran Paradiso. Cicerone Press Limited. pp. 13–16. ISBN   1-85284-231-8.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Riley, Laura; William Riley (2005). Nature's Strongholds: The World's Great Wildlife Reserves. Princeton University Press. pp.  390–392. ISBN   0-691-12219-9.
  5. ↑ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World . JHU Press. p. 1224. ISBN   0-8018-5789-9.
  6. ↑ Mose, Ingo (2007). Protected Areas and Regional Development in Europe. p. 132. ISBN   978-0-7546-4801-7.
  7. ↑ Graf von Hardenberg, Wilko (2021). A Monastery for the Ibex: Conservation, State, and Conflict on the Gran Paradiso 1919-1949. University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 32. ISBN   978-0822946359.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "The Parc environments". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  9. 1 2 Beaumont, Peter (2005-01-30). "Have skis, will travel". The Observer. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  10. 1 2 Gilpin, Alan (2000). Dictionary of Environmental Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 208. ISBN   1-84064-188-6.
  11. ↑ Sandwith, Trevor (2001). Transboundary Protected Areas for Peace and Co-operation. The World Conservation Union. p. 66. ISBN   2-8317-0612-2.
  12. 1 2 3 "The woods". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  13. ↑ "The rocky environments". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  14. ↑ Kiss, Alexandre Charles; Dinah Shelton (1997). Manual of European Environmental Law . Cambridge University Press. p.  198. ISBN   0-521-59122-8.



This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.