Nature, culture and landscape

The great environmental variety the Stirone and Piacenziano Park's territory consists of, reflects the natural and landscape richness of this territory.

Flora and Fauna change depending on the changing of the landscape that, in the Stirone Area, goes from the riverbed to the agricultural landscape and up to the apennine elevations; whereas in the Piacenziano Area it mainly consists of beautiful badlands.

The areas composing the Protected Area correspond to habitats of extraordinary importance: the high biodiversity level is the added value of a territory whose importance is marked by the presence of two Sites of Community Importance.

The Stirone Stream SCI (IT4020003) includes 4 habitats of community interest, where many mammals, birds, fishes, bats and invertebrates live in and are recognized as priority species on a community level.

The Castell'Arquato - Lugagnano Val D'Arda (IT4010008) SCI exists due to the instability of its rugged territory, which have been always limiting the anthropic activities, favoring the conservation of environmental units of remarkable nature interest. The high biodiversity level is favored by the thick concentration of broad-leaved trees, badlands, dry meadows, shrublands, recolonization areas and cultivated areas.

This heritage, combined with the forestry and flower excellences, makes the Park a very appreciated and rich territory.
Anyways, the most typical look of the Protected Areas is lent by the geological and morphological features, the erosion phenomena that developed naturally or as a consequence of human interventions: the significant presence of fossils dating back to the Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene periods made the territory renown on an international level.

In the background visitors can enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Park, where they can find the historical testimonies of a territory crossed by two historical communication ways: the Roman Via Emilia and the medieval Via Francigena. History and culture still fill the castles, the "Pievi", the churches and the hamlets scattered all over the Protected Area.