Gran Paradiso National Park: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Protected area |
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| ⚫ | park is |
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| name = Gran Paradiso National Park |
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| iucn_category = II |
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| base_width = 288 |
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| locator_x = |
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| location = [[Italy]] |
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| nearest_city = [[Turin]] |
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| lat_degrees=45 |lat_minutes=30 |lat_seconds=10 |lat_direction=N |
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| long_degrees=7 |long_minutes=18 |long_seconds=36 |long_direction=E |
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| area = 70,318 hectares<ref name=WDPA>{{cite web |url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=718&level=nat |title=Gran Paradiso National Park |accessdate=2008-03-12 |publisher=World Database on Protected Areas }}</ref> |
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| established = [[1922-01-01]] |
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'''Gran Paradiso National Park''' ([[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso''<ref name=sea>{{cite web |url=http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/pa/0245v.htm |title=Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso |accessdate=2008-03-12 |publisher=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme }}</ref>) is [[Italy]]'s oldest and best known [[national park]]. The park is named after [[Gran Paradiso]] mountain, which is located in the park. The land the park encompasses was initially protected in order to protect the [[Alpine Ibex]], but now also protects other species.<ref name=Riley>{{cite book |last=Riley |first=Laura |coauthors=William Riley |title=Nature's Strongholds: The World's Great Wildlife Reserves |url=http://books.google.ie/books?id=icMuBQhW4vgC |year=2005 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=0691122199 |pages=390-392 }}</ref> |
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== History of the park == |
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In the early nineteenth century, due to hunting for sport and the demand for body parts thought to be medicinal, the Alpine Ibex only survived in the Gran Paradiso area. Approximately 60 individual Ibex lived here.<ref name=Nowak>{{cite book |last=Nowak |first=Ronald M. |title=Walker's Mammals of the World |url=http://books.google.ie/books?id=7W-DGRILSBoC&dq |year=1999 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=0801857899 |pages=1224 }}</ref> Ibex were intensively hunted because their body parts were thought to have therapeutic properties. A cross-shaped Ibex chest bone was thought to have magical properties. Due to the alarming decrease in the Ibex population, [[Victor Emmanuel II of Italy|Victor Emmanuel II, soon to be King of Italy]], declared the Royal Hunting Reserve of the Gran Paradiso in 1856. A protective guard was created for the Ibex. Paths laid out for the Ibex are still used today as part of 724 km (450 miles) of marked trails and mule tracks.<ref name=Riley/> |
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In 1920 Victor Emmanuel II's grandson [[Victor Emmanuel III of Italy|King Victor Emmanuel III]] donated the park's original 2,100 ha (5,187 acres),<ref name=Riley/> and the park was established in 1922.<ref name=sea/> It was Italy's first national park.<ref name=Mose>{{cite book |last=Mose |first=Ingo |title=Protected Areas and Regional Development in Europe |url=http://books.google.ie/books?id=fl3dR_WiuKwC |year=2007 |isbn=075464801X |pages=132 }}</ref> Despite the presence of the park, Ibex were poached until 1945, when only 419 remained. Their protection increased, and there are now almost 4,000 in the park.<ref name=Riley/> |
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== Geography == |
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| ⚫ | The park is located in the western [[Alp]]s in the regions of [[Piemonte]] and [[Valle d'Aosta]] in north-west Italy.<ref name=sea/> It encompasses 70,318 hectares of [[alpine]] terrain.<ref name=Riley/> The park's mountains and valleys were sculpted by [[glacier]]s and streams.<ref name=environments>{{cite web |url=http://www.pngp.it/page.asp?ART=269%02PGE=1%02COD=A%02SEL=55%02TIT=The%20Park%20environments |title=The Parc environments |accessdate=2008-03-12 |publisher=Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso}}</ref> There are many glaciers in the park.<ref name=Gilpin>{{cite book |last=Gilpin |first=Alan |title=Dictionary of Environmental Law |url=http://books.google.ie/books?id=bYJ303f2Z34C&dq |year=2000 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=1840641886 |pages=208 }}</ref> Altitudes in the park range from 800 - 4,061 m, with an average altitude of 2,000 m.<ref name=sea/> Valley floors in the park are forested. There are [[alpine meadow]]s at higher altitudes. Rocks and glaciers are found at altitudes higher than the meadows.<ref name=environments/> Gran Paradiso is only mountain entirely with within Italy that is over 4,000 m high.<ref name=Guardian/> In 1860, John Cowell was the first person to reach the summit of the mountain.<ref name=Gilpin/> [[Mont Blanc]] and the [[Matterhorn]] can be seen from its summit.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |first= Peter|last=Beaumont |title=Have skis, will travel |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2005/jan/30/observerescapesection5?page=3 |work=The Observer |date=2005-01-30 |accessdate=2008-03-12 }}</ref> To the west, the park shares a boundary with [[France]]'s [[Vanoise National Park]].<ref name=sea/> Combined, the two parks form the largest protected area in [[Western Europe]].<ref name=Riley/> They co-operate in managing the Ibex population, which seasonally move across their shared boundary.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sandwith |first=Trevor |title=Transboundary Protected Areas for Peace and Co-operation |url=http://books.google.ie/books?id=FxmXNURjpJMC |year=2001 |publisher=The World Conservation Union |isbn=2831706122 |pages=66 }}</ref> |
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== Flora == |
== Flora == |
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Revision as of 09:10, 16 March 2008
| Gran Paradiso National Park | |
|---|---|
| Location | Italy |
| Nearest city | Turin |
| Area | 70,318 hectares[1] |
| Established | 1922-01-01 |
Gran Paradiso National Park (Italian: Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso[2]) is Italy's oldest and best known national park. The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park. The land the park encompasses was initially protected in order to protect the Alpine Ibex, but now also protects other species.[3]
History of the park
In the early nineteenth century, due to hunting for sport and the demand for body parts thought to be medicinal, the Alpine Ibex only survived in the Gran Paradiso area. Approximately 60 individual Ibex lived here.[4] Ibex were intensively hunted because their body parts were thought to have therapeutic properties. A cross-shaped Ibex chest bone was thought to have magical properties. Due to the alarming decrease in the Ibex population, Victor Emmanuel II, soon to be King of Italy, declared the Royal Hunting Reserve of the Gran Paradiso in 1856. A protective guard was created for the Ibex. Paths laid out for the Ibex are still used today as part of 724 km (450 miles) of marked trails and mule tracks.[3]
In 1920 Victor Emmanuel II's grandson King Victor Emmanuel III donated the park's original 2,100 ha (5,187 acres),[3] and the park was established in 1922.[2] It was Italy's first national park.[5] Despite the presence of the park, Ibex were poached until 1945, when only 419 remained. Their protection increased, and there are now almost 4,000 in the park.[3]
Geography
The park is located in the western Alps in the regions of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta in north-west Italy.[2] It encompasses 70,318 hectares of alpine terrain.[3] The park's mountains and valleys were sculpted by glaciers and streams.[6] There are many glaciers in the park.[7] Altitudes in the park range from 800 - 4,061 m, with an average altitude of 2,000 m.[2] Valley floors in the park are forested. There are alpine meadows at higher altitudes. Rocks and glaciers are found at altitudes higher than the meadows.[6] Gran Paradiso is only mountain entirely with within Italy that is over 4,000 m high.[8] In 1860, John Cowell was the first person to reach the summit of the mountain.[7] Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn can be seen from its summit.[8] To the west, the park shares a boundary with France's Vanoise National Park.[2] Combined, the two parks form the largest protected area in Western Europe.[3] They co-operate in managing the Ibex population, which seasonally move across their shared boundary.[9]
Flora
Just under 20% of the park's area is covered by woods. These woods are important because they provide shelter for a large number of animals. They are a natural defence against landslides, avalanches, and flooding. The two main types of woods found in the park are coniferous and deciduous woods.[10]
The deciduous woodland species include European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests. They are common on the Piedmont side of the park, and are not found on the dryer Aosta Valley side. These forests are thick with dense foliage that lets in very little light during the summer. Beech leaves take a long time to decompose, and they form a thick layer on the wood floor that impedes the development of other plants and trees.[10] The most common trees in the forests on the valley floors are Larches, mixed with Spruces, Swiss Stone Pines, and more rarely Silver Firs.[6]
At higher altitudes the trees gradually thin out and there are alpine pastures. These pastures are rich in flowers in the late spring.[6] Wildflowers of the park's high meadows include Wild Pansies, Gentians, Martagon Lilies, and Alpenroses. The flowers attract large numbers of butterflies including Apollos, Peak Whites, and southern White Admirals.[3]
Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Lime (Tilia platyphyllos) forests are found in gulloes. These forests are only present in isolated areas and are at risk of extinction. Downy oak woods are more common in the Aosta Valley area than in the Piedmont area because of its higher temperatures and lower precipitation. Oak is not a typical species in the park and it is often found mixed with Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris). The park's chestnut groves have been effected by human cultivation for wood and fruit. It rarely grows above 1,000 m, and the most important chestnut forests are on the Piedmont side. The park's conifer woods include Scots Pine groves, Spruce forests dominated by the Norway Spruce (Picea abies), often mixed with Larch. Larch and Swiss Stone Pine woods are found up to the highest sub-alpine level (2200-2300 m).[10]
The park has many rocky habitats. They are mostly located above the timberline and alpine pastures. These areas have rock and detritus on their surface. Alpine plants have adapted to these habitats by assuming characteristics like dwarfism, hairiness, bright coloured flowers, and highly developed roots.[11] About 1,500 plant species can be seen at Paradisia Bontanical Garden near Cogne inside the park.[3]
Fauna
Ibex graze in the abundant mountain pastures in summer, and descend to lower elevations in winter.[3] Gran Paradiso's pairing with Vanoise National Park provides year-round protection to the Ibex.[12]
Along with the ibex, the animal species found in the park include Ermine, Weasel, Hare,[7] Eurasian Badger, and alpine Chamois. Alpine Marmots forage on plants along the snow line.[3] There are more than 100 bird species in the park, including Eurasian Eagle-owls, Rock Ptarmigans, Alpine Accentors, and Choughs. Golden Eagles nest on rocky ledges, and sometimes in trees. Wallcreepers are found on steep cliffs. In the woodlands there are red-crested black Woodpeckers and speckled Nutcrackers.[3]
Tourism
The park is easily accessed by high-speed motorways linked to France and Switzerland. There are hotels and restaurants close to the park's borders. April to October are the favoured times for visitors. Families and casual visitors prefer the northern part of the park because of its higher mountains, more spectacular views, and plentiful hotels and picnic areas. Serious hikers travel on the southern valleys. Visitors can see grazing ibex and chamois at the Gran Piano di Noasca. Visitors can stay at campgrounds, refuges and mountain huts, both in summer and cross-country skiers in winter.[3] The park has nature trails of varying lengths and difficulty.[13] The park has become so popular with summer visitors that litter has become a problem, along with noise pollution, damage to trails and fragile habitats. There are controversial proposed developments in and just outside the park.[3]
References
- ^ "Gran Paradiso National Park". World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ a b c d e "Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso". Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Riley, Laura (2005). Nature's Strongholds: The World's Great Wildlife Reserves. Princeton University Press. pp. 390–392. ISBN 0691122199.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World. JHU Press. p. 1224. ISBN 0801857899.
- ^ Mose, Ingo (2007). Protected Areas and Regional Development in Europe. p. 132. ISBN 075464801X.
- ^ a b c d "The Parc environments". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ a b c Gilpin, Alan (2000). Dictionary of Environmental Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 208. ISBN 1840641886.
- ^ a b Beaumont, Peter (2005-01-30). "Have skis, will travel". The Observer. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ Sandwith, Trevor (2001). Transboundary Protected Areas for Peace and Co-operation. The World Conservation Union. p. 66. ISBN 2831706122.
- ^ a b c "The woods". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ "The rocky environments". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ Kiss, Alexandre Charles (1997). Manual of European Environmental Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 198. ISBN 0521591228.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Nature trails". Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. Retrieved 2008-03-12.