The Monte Barco biotope

<p>A circular route through an important nature area sheltered by Monte Barco</p>

<p>The Monte Barco area is a wet area made up of marshes of various sizes which provide habitats for a great many plants and animals.</p> <p>The Monte Barco biotope landscape is an extremely original one which is very rare in the Trentino region. Its morphology is extremely unusual, with small rises alternating with wide basins forming an undulating surface created by the carving out and smoothing action of the ancient glaciers. There are a grand total of 21 wet areas in these basins consisting of marshes or peat bogs of various sizes. Some of these were once of importance for peat extraction, with layers sometimes even 2 or 3 metres thick. The various wet areas each host different flora and plants, frequently including rare, even extremely rare species. This, in turn, makes for a significant variety of fauna, especially amphibians – including the rare yellow bellied toad – reptiles and birds.</p> <p>The route is through dense Scots pine and heather woods with a few broad leaved trees and, to the south-west, Norway spruce woods.</p> <p>The starting point is at the industrial are for porphyry working just outside Albiano which you get to by following signs for Porfidi Montebarco.</p> <p>It is a circular route mainly on forest tracks and a few sections of woodland footpath.</p>