Monte Matassaro, Monte Gradara and Monte Signora (ITA020030)
Site type: ZPS Special Protection Area SAC Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA090031 - Hectares: 74351
Description:
The site, extending for 3776,86 hectares, is part of the mainly carbonate ridge that characterizes the south-western part of the so-called "Palermo Mountains". It falls within the territory of the municipalities of Giardinello, Borsetto, Monreale and San Giuseppe Jato, affecting the basins of the Oreto, Belice and Jato rivers, as well as small streams that flow into the valley of Partinico. Among the highest peaks are M. Gradara (1184 m), Pizzo Mirabella (1185 m) and M. Signora (1191 m), to which are added those of M. Crocefia (1048 m), Monti della Campana (968 m), Cozzo del Tauro (786 m), Cozzo la Figu (960 m), M. Platti (1188 m), Pizzo Tre Frati (918 m), Punte di Cuti (1072 m), Cozzo Aglisotto (1015 m), Portella della Vecchia (1095 m), M. Mirto (1078 m), Pizzo Aiello (930 m), M. Dammusi (936 m) and M. della Fiera (971). The same reliefs are mainly referred to the stratigraphic-structural unit Sagana-Belmonte Mezzano, characterized by the prevalence of sideritic and siliceous shales, reddish calcilutites and calcisiltites, doloareniit, dolorudites and dolomitic breccias, calcarenites, marls, limestone and calcilutites, sandstones etc. Following the bioclimatic classification proposed by BRULLO et al. (1996), the territory mainly falls within the lower and upper subhumid mesomediterranean; the average temperature is between 14 and 16 ° C, while rainfall reaches up to 1000 mm (Piana degli Albanesi: 1031 mm). The plant landscape is significantly affected by the intense uses of the past and by frequent fires. Aspects of prairie in Ampelodesma and other aspects of secondary vegetation dominate, within which artificial forest plants have been carried out, through the use of conifers foreign to the territory (genera Pinus, Cupressus, etc.), also affected by the action of fire; the natural forest strips are very sporadic. The vegetal landscape is mainly from the Holm oak series (especially the Aceri campestris-Querco ilicis sigmetum), which play a pioneering role on the calcareous rocky substrates; the series of the Virgilian oak (Oleo-Querco virgilianae sigmetum) settles on the deep and evolved soils, while that of the pedicellated willow (Ulmo canescentis-Salico pedicellatae sigmetum) is located along the waterways. Various other micro-geoseries linked to particular edaphic conditions must also be added to the aforementioned sigmetas, such as in the case of rock walls, detrital areas, humid environments, etc.
In addition to a significant faunal importation, the area denotes a notable floristic-phytocenotic interest, in particular as regards the rupicolous communities, in which a high number of endemic plant species and / or of significant phytogeographic interest are represented. The species listed in section 3.3 and indicated with the letter D refer to entities that are quite rare in Sicily, whose presence in the territory in question is in any case considered of significant phytogeographic interest. Area of particular importance due to the presence of ornithofauna of particular interest scientific and conservation. Localized endemic insect species are also reported for this area
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
