River of Floresta (ITA030037)
Site type: SAC Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA030037- Hectares: 2096
It is a hilly-submontane area with mild reliefs at altitudes not exceeding 1200 m, interspersed with river valleys and rivers. Geologically it is constituted mainly from metamorphic rocks. The bioclimate is between the thermo-Mediterranean and the mesomediterranean with ombrotype ranging from the lower subhumid to the lower wet. The natural vegetation is represented by deciduous forest formations with Quercus virgiliana and Quercus cerris limited to higher stations, and in some more rocky stretches you can see strips of holm oak. Frequent are the replacement aspects such as thickets with thorny shrubs, cystets and ampelodesmeti. Mesophilic meadows are frequent in the bright spells of submontane areas. Along the watercourses, willows ripisilve are sometimes found. Along the rivers there are frequent glareicolous aspects of Helichrysum italicum.
This is an area with a forest vocation currently rather degraded due to various anthropogenic factors. From the naturalistic point of view the main emergencies they are the deciduous woods, the ripisilve and the glareicolous formations of the rivers. There are also several entities that are rare or believed to be in the regional area significant phytogeographic interest, in turn mentioned in the list in section 3.3 (D) .The site hosts an interesting herpetofauna, which includes a conspicuous portion of Sicilian species, some of which deserve careful and targeted safeguard measures. The invertebrate fauna is very rich and articulated especially as regards the freshwater, riparian and nemoral species. There are numerous Sicilian endemics and / or rare species and stenotopes
Source: Ministry of the Environment Natura 2000 form
Ministerial data: Natura 2000 form
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: web
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Region of Sicily
