European Parks Celebrate Spring

Why this is here: The Casentinesi Forest National Park includes the Sasso Fratino reserve, Italy’s first integral reserve established in 1959, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017.

EUROPARC promotes the Week of European Parks from May 19 to 24, highlighting interconnected habitats across the continent. The organization chose “United by Nature” as its 2024 slogan. Greenme.it presents five lesser-known European parks, including Italy’s Casentinesi Forest National Park.

The Casentinesi park spans roughly 36,000 hectares across Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. It received recognition from the IUCN Green List in 2021 for exemplary management. Visitors in springtime may spot deer, roe deer, and possibly wolves along its 600 kilometers of trails.

The article also details parks in Slovenia, Germany, France, and Portugal. The Triglav National Park in Slovenia features glacial valleys and diverse wildlife.

Bavaria’s Forest National Park allows natural forest ecosystems to thrive. The Camargue Natural Regional Park in France hosts migrating birds and wild horses. Lastly, Portugal’s Peneda-Gerês National Park protects unique flora and fauna, including the Iberian wolf.

The article notes these parks remain relatively untouched by mass tourism. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of increasing visitation.