| Bosco di Santo Pietro oriented nature reserve | |
 | |
| Area type | Oriented nature reserve |
|---|---|
| State | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Territory | Calatino |
| Surface | 6,559.38 ha |
| Foundation year | 1999 |
| Institutional website | |
Bosco di Santo Pietro oriented nature reserve is a protected area located in Sicily.
To know
Geographical notes
It is a protected natural area located in the municipalities of Caltagirone is Mazzarrone and extends over a large sandy plateau furrowed by valleys, near Santo Pietro, a hamlet twenty kilometers from Caltagirone. The reserve is located above 390 m above sea level and slopes gently towards the plain of Victory and is bounded to the west and north by the Terrana and Ogliastro valleys, to the east by the Ficuzza stream and to the south by the boundaries of the municipality of Acate.
Flora and fauna
Flora
There are over 300 plant species in which the undergrowth is particularly rich. Three main habitats are recognizable: the cork oak, the holm oak and the garrigue.
The monumental cork oaks of the forest, described with admiration by chroniclers of the past, have largely disappeared today. A recent census has attested the presence of about fifty cork trees and some carob trees with trunks of three meters in circumference. In the Molara district, a specimen of Quercus suber which reaches 6.2 meters. The holm oak forest (Quercus ilex) extends over some tens of hectares in the districts of Molara, Coste Stella, Coste Chiazzina and Vaccarizzo. Compared to the cork oak, the density is higher and more homogeneous. We also find the thorny oak (Quercus coccifera) and downy oak (Quercus pubescens).
Also relevant is the presence of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), with some specimens whose trunk reaches dimensions of over 3 m in circumference.
In the garrigue there are extensive shrub formations in particular in the districts of Molara, Spina Santa and Cava Imboscata. Here the dominant species are rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme (Thymus capitatus), heather (Erica multiflora) and mastic (Pistacia lentiscus).
Fauna
During the walks in the woods you often meet porcupines, hares, wild rabbits and weasels. The wild cat and the fox are also present. Among the birds, ninety-six different species can be observed including the tit, the octopus, the jay, but also some rare species such as the great spotted woodpecker, the pendulum and the kestrel, called in dialect "muschittu".
When to go
The mild climate certainly allows excursions throughout the year, but the ideal seasons are spring and autumn, the first for flowering, the second for the splendid colors of the forest.
Background
The first historical testimony of the wood dates back to 1160, when the Norman king Ruggero I of Altavilla granted it to the Calatini, as a reward for the help given to him against the Saracens. At that time its extension was 30,000 hectares. The massive presence of man over the centuries has upset the original physiognomy of the area. However in some places, such as Fontana del Cacciatore, Fontana Molara Cava Cannizzolo and Dongiovanni, the density of the vegetation is such as to revive the charm of the ancient forest in the visitor.
Originally the wood extended along the whole south-eastern strip of Sicily, from the hinterland calatino up to the coastal areas of the city of Gela is Scoglitti. Repeated fires, lack of maintenance, illegal grazing and poaching have made the situation worse.
In 1999 the Oriented Nature Reserve was established in order to stem the degradation and reverse the trend. The association The Green Lizard plays in the area the precise role of presence and intervention for the protection of the territory.
How to get
By car
From Catania from the ring road take the junction for Caltagirone, following the 
Catania-Gela up to the exit for Caltagirone. Once in the city, the forest is easily accessible by continuing south.
Permits / Rates
Access is free.
How to get around
Bosco di Santo Pietro oriented nature reserve: full screen map.What see
- 1 Bosco di Santo Pietro Naturalistic Museum, Via degli Achei, 25, Santo Pietro.
- 2 Hunter's Fountain.
- 3 Cork wood.
What to do
- 1 Picnic. You can have a picnic in this equipped area inside a pine forest.
Shopping
Where to eat
Where stay
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Bosco di Santo Pietro oriented nature reserve
Commons contains images or other files on Bosco di Santo Pietro oriented nature reserve
