Puglia: olive growing and national parks
The Puglia region offers little in the way of spontaneous vegetation. Its forests have been almost entirely decimated by human activity, for the expansion of cultivation and the construction of housing and roads. It represents only around 7% of the territory, the lowest percentage in Italy. The disappearance of spontaneous vegetation has had consequences for the development of the fauna: it is relatively reduced and some animals have disappeared completely, such as the wolf (although individuals have recently been spotted in the Daunia mountains), or have become increasingly rare (wild rabbits, hares, foxes, hedgehogs).
On the coastal strips, Mediterranean maquis is widely present. Among the most widespread plant species are pine, juniper, beech, maple, chestnut, lime, almond and holm oak. The area is dominated by wheat fields, pastures and olive groves.
The region boasts two national parks and several marine reserves and protected natural areas, covering 7% of its surface area. The two national parks are
Parco nazionale del Gargano: the limestone promontory of Gargano boasts an astonishing biodiversity, with some 2,000 plant species, including oaks, beeches, lime trees and some 60 endemic wild orchids. The wetlands formed by the coastal lakes provide a haven for migratory birds, notably pink flamingos, and Lake Lesina is renowned for its eels. The Gargano forests, and in particular the thousand-year-old Foresta Umbra, are home to wildcats, wild boar, hares, buzzards, fallow deer and roe deer, including the local capriolo garganico.
Parco nazionale dell'Alta Murgia : located in the Murge, Italy's most extensive karst plateau, its canyon-cut desert landscapes, planted with lichens and wild orchids, are home to amphibians, reptiles and numerous bird species, including the common raven.
Puglia has three marine protected areas: Torre Guaceto north of Brindisi, Porto Cesareo on the Ionian Sea, and the Tremiti Islands. The region also boasts two regional parks and numerous protected natural areas and nature reserves.
Last but not least, we can't overlook the worrying "olive disease" that has struck Salento in recent years. Since 2014, the region has been affected by an insect-borne killer bacterium called Xylella fastidiosa, which is causing olive trees to wither, and against which no cure has yet been found. Many of Salento's 10 million olive trees are now dry, leafless and their trunks stunted. This bacterium is "one of the most dangerous in the world for plants", according to the European Union's scientific experts. Although the disease is currently confined to Salento, the epidemic is no less worrying and could threaten the entire Mediterranean region.
Calabria: from the Mediterranean maquis to the Apennine pine
Calabria, meanwhile, boasts a particularly interesting flora. The close alliance between mountain and sea has made it abundant and varied. Close to the coast, and up to an altitude of around 600 meters, Mediterranean vegetation predominates, with holm oaks, olive trees, pines, heathers, pistachio trees, terebinths and so on. From an altitude of 800 to 1,000 meters, deciduous trees give way to conifers and beeches. As in other regions, Calabria's fauna is relatively small, but still varied. These include the Apennine wolf, fallow deer, roe deer, wild cat, marten, otter and squirrels. Not to mention birds (pileated woodpecker, titmouse, sparrowhawk, red kite, screech owl, buzzard) and a particular variety of southern viper.
Calabria boasts a number of protected natural areas and reserves, as well as three national parks:
Parco nazionale dell'Aspromonte: occupies the southernmost part of the Apennine chain and boasts a very rich ecosystem (endemic laricio pine, wildcat, peregrine falcon, Bonelli's eagle...).
Parco nazionale della Sila: its vast coniferous forests alternate with high plateaus, and numerous torrents feed its three reservoirs. The area is home to wildcats, martens, wild boar and the Apennine wolf.
Parco nazionale del Pollino: Italy's largest national park stretches between Calabria and Basilicata. It was created to preserve Italy's last remaining population of lodgepole pines. Now the park's emblem, the lorike pine is solitary and grows on mountain tops. It can be spotted by its great size (25 to 35 meters high) and its sometimes curved silhouette. In addition, it boasts an extraordinary combination of different plant species. Maples stand side by side with beech and white fir woods, which stretch from the center to the north of the park, between 1,000 and 1,900 meters.
Basilicata : a wild and preserved nature
In Basilicata, nature has remained relatively unspoiled, despite some areas being extensively farmed. Forests cover 19% of the region's surface area, while Mediterranean scrubland covers both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts. The Ionian coast remains partly covered by pine forests.
In the Murgia materana, part of which has been declared a regional park, the flora is quite diverse, numbering 923 species, and is made up of herbaceous plants (thyme, sage), musk garlic and flowers such as cornflowers, campanula, carum and a variety of crocus ( crocus thomasii). Holm oak, pistachio, olive, terebinth and juniper can also be found. Various species of birds of prey (buzzard, kite, Egyptian vulture), porcupines, foxes, hares, martens, wild boar and reptiles such as the adder or the cervone, Italy's largest snake, can be seen here. But the symbol of the Murgia materana is the kestrel(Falco naumanni by its scientific name, falco grillaio in Italian). It is smaller than its cousin the kestrel, and the two are easily mistaken for each other, as both practice "Holy Ghost" flight. The Kestrel can be seen in the region from March to September; the rest of the year, it winters in West Africa. The town of Matera has embarked on a program to protect this endangered species, and has installed artificial nests throughout the town, in the Sassi and on the roofs of palaces and homes.
Protected natural areas cover 30% of Basilicata's total surface area. The two national parks are Pollino, shared with Calabria, and the Parco nazionale dell'Apennino Lucano - Val d'Agri - Lagonegrese. This latest addition to Italy's national parks, established in 2007, lies between the Cilento Park in Campania and the Pollino Park. It forms a zone of transition and environmental continuity between the two. Comprising several peaks overlooking the valley of the River Agri, it is covered by forests, meadows and cultivated areas. The area is home to wild boar, the Apennine wolf and the otter.
