Lucano-Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese Apennine Park
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
The Lucano Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese Apennines National Park can be reached mainly from the Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway, which runs along the western side of the park with several exits pertaining to the four territorial areas: the Atena Lucana exit continues on the Val d'Agri state road towards Marsico Nuovo and the heart of the upper valley; the Padula exit serves the Paterno sector; the Lagonegro exit gives access to the southern slope and the Sirino massif; the Lauria exit leads onto the Sinnica state road towards Castelsaraceno and Lagonegrese. From the Adriatic side and the Apennines, the main access is via the Napoli-Canosa motorway, exiting at Candela, continuing on the Basentana highway to Potenza, from where the Basentana highway serves the northern municipalities of the upper Melandro and Camastra valleys. The Park Authority headquarters are located in Marsico Nuovo, Via Manzoni 1, inside the former Benedictine Convent, a medieval building dating back to the second half of the 12th century. There are no delimited entrances to the park territory: the environmental education centres (CEAS) in various municipalities - including Moliterno - and the 29 municipalities included in the perimeter are the natural access points to the trail network. The nearest railway connection is Potenza Centrale station, from where regional bus lines serve the municipalities of the upper valley; the reference airport is Naples Capodichino, about 150 km from the park headquarters.
Introduction
The Lucano Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese Apennines National Park extends entirely within the territory of Basilicata, in the province of Potenza, stretching longitudinally along the Lucanian Apennines for about 100 km from the Monte Volturino sector in the north to the Sirino massif in the south. Established by Decree of the President of the Republic on 8 December 2007 - the most recent of the Italian national parks at the time of its creation - it covers an area of approximately 689.96 kmĀ² spread over twenty-nine municipalities and four valley areas: the upper Agri Valley, the Camastra Valley, the upper Melandro Valley and Lagonegrese. Its geographical position makes it a natural ecological corridor between the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park to the north and the Pollino National Park to the south. The territory is predominantly mountainous, with more than 25 peaks over 1,500m, covered for almost 60,000 hectares by beech, oak and silver fir forests, and furrowed by the Agri River and its tributaries.
Description
The orographic profile of the park is structured around three main mountain systems arranged from north to south. The northern complex, centred on the Volturino (1,836m) and Pierfaone (1,735m) mountains, has wooded slopes and a soft profile, with the villages of Calvello, Abriola and Pignola perched on the eastern slopes towards the Basento. The central Maddalena system, at lower altitudes, fans out the upper valley of the Agri River, with the Pertusillo reservoir - a reservoir built between 1957 and 1962 to dam the Agri River - that constitutes the largest body of water in the protected area and the site of sports fishing. The southern Sirino massif hosts the park's highest elevation, Monte del Papa at 2,005m, and Monte Sirino at 1,909m; Monte Raparo (1,764m) closes the profile to the south-east. The hydrographic system is dominated by the Agri River, which crosses the park in the middle and flows into the Ionian Sea, flanked by the Basento River to the north, the Sinni River to the south and the Melandro River to the west; the presence of perennial streams and wetlands associated with the Pertusillo Lake creates important aquatic habitats in an Apennine context.
In terms of vegetation, the park has a complete succession of altitudes covering more than 1,700m in altitude. In the lower hills, up to about 500m, the Mediterranean vegetation is dominated by holm oak (Quercus ilex), turkey oak and downy oak (Quercus pubescens), with the presence of hornbeam, ash, manna ash (Fraxinus ornus), Neapolitan alder (Alnus cordata) and chestnut. Among the shrubs, butcher's broom, wild asparagus, hawthorn, lentisk and fragrant broom are common. In the mountainous belt between 600 and 1,700 metres above sea level, beech forests extend, forming the dominant habitat of the park; the Laurenzana fir forest - a Special Area of Conservation - is home to specimens of silver fir (Abies alba), a characteristic and uncommon species in the southern Apennines. In the grasslands and forest margins of the Moliterno area, 65 species of wild orchids belonging to 18 genera have been counted, including Orchis and Ophrys, which constitute one of the richest areas of diversity for this family in southern Italy. The park area includes 12 Sites of Community Importance (SACs) and 2 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) established under the Habitats and Birds Directives, including the SPAs of the Lucano-Monte Volturino Apennines and Lake Pertusillo.
The fauna includes several species of conservation interest. The Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) is present in several herds throughout the entire perimeter of the park; the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), wild boar and dormouse (Glis glis) are among the most widespread mammals. The otter (Lutra lutra) frequents the best-preserved river stretches of Lake Pertusillo and its tributaries. The wild cat (Felis silvestris) and the European polecat (Mustela putorius) complete the picture of carnivores. The birdlife is varied: the black stork (Ciconia nigra) frequents the wooded areas along the watercourses; birds of prey include the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), honey buzzard and red kite. The wetlands of Pertusillo are home to migratory and wintering waterfowl species.
The park area is inhabited by about 90,000 people spread over the twenty-nine municipalities and preserves a historical stratification that stretches from the Roman period to the present day Lucanian devotional traditions. The Grumentum area, near Grumento Nova, is the most important Roman archaeological site in inland Basilicata: the ancient city from the 3rd century BC preserves the structures of the theatre, the remains of temples and the amphitheatre, and is flanked by the National Archaeological Museum of the Val d'Agri. The Marian devotional tradition is represented by the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Viggiano, on Mount Viggiano at 1,723 m, a regional pilgrimage destination and repository of the wooden statue of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of Basilicata; the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve on Mount Sirino, at 1,907 m, is another of the park's high-altitude religious destinations. Viggiano also preserves the craft tradition of making the Viggianese harp and is home to the Wolf Museum, the first museum in Lucania dedicated to this predator. The park was established with the Presidential Decree of 8 December 2007, at the end of a legislative process that began with framework law no. 394 of 1991, which provided for its establishment, and was reiterated by law no. 426 of 1998; an initial decree of 25 July 2006 did not obtain the favourable opinion of the Unified Conference and a second measure was needed to conclude the process.
The park is divided into three zones of differentiated protection: zone 1 of high naturalistic interest with no or limited anthropisation; zone 2 of significant naturalistic and cultural interest with limited anthropisation; zone 3 of significant landscape and historical value with a high anthropic presence. The network of footpaths allows for excursions to the main peaks - including Mount Volturino, which can be reached by footpath N8 from Marsicovetere, and Mount del Papa from the Lagonegro side - as well as thematic routes linked to the historic villages, the Grumentum area and the sanctuaries at high altitudes. The Ponte alla Luna (Moon Bridge), inaugurated in 2017, is a suspended infrastructure offering access to a panoramic section of the area, while the Ponte tra i due Parchi (Bridge between the Two Parks) connects the area with the Pollino National Park.
Information
General Data
Typology: National Park
Year of establishment: 2007 (D.P.R. 8 December 2007; G.U. n. 55 of 5 March 2008)
Managing body: Ente Parco Nazionale dell'Appennino Lucano Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese
Reference body: Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica
Area: 689,96 kmĀ²
Minimum altitude: [to be completed]
Maximum altitude: 2.005m
Maximum elevation: 2,005m - Monte del Papa (Sirino massif, Lagonegro)
Region(s): Basilicata
Province(s): Potenza
Municipalities involved: Abriola - Anzi - Armento - Brienza - Calvello - Carbone - Castelsaraceno - Gallicchio - Grumento Nova - Lagonegro - Laurenzana - Lauria - Marsico Nuovo - Marsicovetere - Moliterno - Montemurro - Nemoli - Paterno - Pignola - Rivello - San Chirico Raparo - San Martino d'Agri - Sarconi - Sasso di Castalda - Satriano di Lucania - Spinoso - Tito - Tramutola - Viggiano
Official website: https://www.parcoappenninolucano.it