Madonie Park (ITA020050)
Site type: SPA Special Area of Special Protection
Code: ITA020050 - Hectares: 40860 mm
Description:
The Madonie characterize a mountainous system located in the central-northern portion of Sicily, between the Nebrodi and the Monti di Palermo, almost entirely included in the homonymous Natural Park, established in 1989 in implementation of LR n ° 98/81. It affects territories of the municipalities of Geraci Siculo, San Mauro Castelverde, Petralia Soprana, Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa, Castelbuono, Castellana Sicula, Scillato, Caltavuturo, Colleano, Cefalù, Gratteri, Pollina, Isnello, Sclafani Bagni, all in the province of Palermo. The highest peaks, proceeding in a north-south direction, are represented by Cozzo Luminario (1512 m), Pizzo Antenna or della Principessa (m 1977), Pizzo Carbonara (m 1979), Monte Castellaro (m 1656), Monte dei Cervi (m 1794), Monte Fanusi (m 1472), Cozzo Vuturo (1507 m), Monte Ferro (1906 m), Monte Daino (1786 m) and Monte Quacella (1869 m). From a geological point of view, the Madonie Islands represent a segment of the Apennine chain, consisting of the tectonic superposition of a series of south-facing stratigraphic-structural units, deriving from the deformation of different Mesozoic-Tertiary paleogeographic domains (Sicilid Domain, Panormide Domain, Imerese Domain) put in place during the orogenic transport phases of the Miocene, on which the late Tortonian soils of the Upper Tortonian-Lower Pliocene rest in discord (ABATE et al., 1982; CATALANO, 1989; ABATE et al., 1993). It is mainly dolomite and Mesozoic limestone, which alternate or are mixed with various calcarenite or clayey substrates. Based on the classification by RIVAS-MARTINEZ (1994), the bioclimatic characteristics of the territory can be summarized in the following types: - thermo-Mediterranean (temperature> 16 ° C) subhumid (rainfall = 600-700 mm): coastal and sub-coastal area; - mesomediterranean (temperature = 13-16 ° C) subhumid (rainfall = 600-1000 mm) and humid (rainfall => 1000 mm): hilly area, up to 1000-1200 m asl; - sub-Mediterranean (temperature = 8-13 ° C) sub-humid (rainfall = 600-1000 mm) and humid (rainfall => 1000 mm): submontane and mountainous area, up to the cacuminal areas
It is an area of considerable flora, fauna and phytocenotic interest. With over 1500 vascular species; the Madonie are fully included among the areas of greater phytogeographic interest in Sicily and in the Mediterranean region itself. This floristic richness is reflected in the remarkable environmental diversity of territory, determined by the variety of geo-pedological substrates, by the altitude excursion and by the exposure of the slopes, as well as by the characteristics bioclimatic. In any case, the floristic biodiversity is higher in the less populated areas, especially in the carbonate areas of medium and high altitude. Various aspects of vegetation are represented (forest, grassland, chasmophytic, etc.), some of which are peculiar and diversified by a large number of species endemic. In the territory there are also various entities that in the regional area are rare or considered of significant phytogeographic interest, in turn mentioned in the list in section 3.3 (D).
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
