Pizzo Mualio, Vernà Mountain (ITA030009)
Site type: SAC Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA030009- Hectares: 1615
Description:
It is a hilly-submontane area with mild reliefs with altitudes between 700 and 1300 m, interspersed with river valleys and rivers. Geologically it results consisting mainly of metamorphic rocks. The bioclimate is between the mesomediteranean and the supramediterranean, with an obrotype ranging from the subhumid lower than the lower wet. The natural vegetation is represented by deciduous wood formations with Quercus virgiliana, and in some more rocky sections they observe strips of holm oak. There are frequent replacement aspects such as thickets with thorny shrubs and cisteti. In the clearings of the submontane areas they are frequent mesophilic grasslands. Along the watercourses, willow and plane trees are sometimes found. Along the rivers there are frequent glareic aspects ad Helichrysum italicum.
This is an area with a forest vocation currently rather degraded due to various anthropogenic factors. From the naturalistic point of view in the interesting Peloritan area characterized by peaks alternating with deep valleys with ripisilve oriental plane trees, very rare in Sicily. 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). species of birds of prey deserving of maximum protection. The herpetofauna is also of great importance, which includes a significant fraction of the Sicilian species and the arthropod fauna, both terrestrial and freshwater, due to the presence of numerous endemic species, sometimes very localized and stenoecies.
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
