WHO WE ARE
INSTITUTION
The Regional Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites was established by the Regional Law of the Autonomous Region of Friuli – Venezia Giulia #42 on September 30th 1996.
SITE
The Park is included in the mountain area above the high Friuli- Venetian plain. The protected area extends from the province of Pordenone to that of Udine and embraces Valcellina (municipalities of Andreis, Cimolais, Claut, Erto and Casso), the Upper Valley of Tagliamento (Forni di Sopra, Forni di Sotto municipalities) and territories converging towards Val Tramontina (municipalities of Frisanco and Tramonti di Sopra).
PURPOSES
Among the regulations of the Regional Law #42/1996, founding of the protected area, the aims of the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites can be summarized as:
- conservation, protection and restoration of ecosystems
- social and economic promotion
- scientific research
- educational and formative teaching
- testing
The protected area of the Friulian Dolomites is a full part of the Alpine Network of Protected Areas and the National Federation of Natural Parks and Protected Areas; it appears also in the network of the Dolomites Parks, established by UNESCO Foundation for comparison and coordination among the protected areas of all the Dolomites recognized “World Heritage”. These structures are intended to spread and implement on a large scale common measures that allow to pursue the aims of the Natural Parks, with the aim of exporting them later as a model also in the territories still unprotected and thus contribute to improving life quality for everyone.
The Park Institution also works closely with the Julian Pre-Alps Park and the Slovenian Triglav National Park in order to create an operational synergy among the parks of the Eastern Alpine area; along with these entities were launched some cross-border projects with the intention to giving uniformity to scientific research, paths management and tourism.
EXTENSION
The Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites is the largest of the only two parks in Friuli-Venezia Giulia: with an area of 36,950 hectares. Nearby there is also the Regional Nature Reserve of the Cellina Gorge (304 hectares), managed by the Park itself.
TERRITORY
Il Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane è un vero e proprio paradiso per l’escursionismo di tipo naturalistico ed il trekking; attività garantite da un’adeguata rete di sentieri e da numerose strutture d’appoggio (casere, ricoveri, bivacchi).
Il territorio, considerato di grande interesse geologico, ambientale e naturalistico, è caratterizzato da un alto grado di wilderness, particolarmente percettibile grazie all’assenza di strade di comunicazione (sono presenti solo alcune vie di penetrazione in fondovalle e piste di servizio non collegate tra le grandi vallate) e difficilmente riscontrabile, per estensione, in altre zone dell’arco alpino. La catena dei Monfalconi con il Campanile di Val Montanaia, le praterie di alta quota di “Canpuros”, i pascoli di malga Senons e la solitudine dei Canali di Meduna, ne fanno un ambiente unico. Collegata al Parco vi è inoltre la vicina Nature reserve of Valcellina gorgesignificant and spectacular engraving that the Cellina stream has dug in the limestone layers among Barcis, Andreis and Montereale Valcellina before its outlet in the Friulian plain. The morphology of these mountains reveals a remarkable and continuous evolution of the territory demonstrated by the presence of faults, thrust faults and fractures in opposition to moraines and earth pyramids due to the excavation and deposit of ancient glaciers; peaks and dolomite towers ( Campanile of Val Montanaia), as well as rock layers with many different characteristics (the San Daniele “books”) also indicate an intense alpine erosion. The area is affected by three major tectonic lines: “Upper Tagliamento line”, “Overthrust Duranno Monte Alto Meduna” and ” Periadriatic Overthrust (or fault)”. The latter can be easily identified in the Andreis area, south of Mount Raut, which determines a singular landscape. Another factor that has characterized the geomorphological aspect of the inland areas, was the widespread presence of glaciers, lasted until a few thousand years ago, in all the valleys of the pre-Alpine area.
The proofs are highlighted by some valley sections and large and small glacial “circuses” modeled in the mountainous sides. We must also remember the great deposits of the Monte Toc landslide (or Vajont), evoking the catastrophe of 1963 and constituting a single example of a colossal landslide.
TRAILS NETWORK
Caratteristica notevole del Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane è il fatto di essere attraversabile unicamente in assetto escursionistico, seguendo la rete sentieristica primaria, individuata e gestita tenendo presenti gli aspetti relativi alla garanzia della manutenzione, degli standard di sicurezza, dell’impatto naturalistico e dell’importanza storica. Non mancano i percorsi tematici, accessibili a tutti (alcuni anche a disabili), caratterizzati dalla vicinanza ai centri abitati e dalla particolarità di introdurre, rappresentare e fornire spunti sull’area interna del Parco. I rimanenti tracciati, più impegnativi e caratterizzati da attraversamenti di aree con sentieri privi di segnaletica e con segnavia scarsi o assenti, garantiscono la conservazione degli aspetti alpinistici tradizionali, ovvero il gusto dell’avventura e della scoperta, e nel contempo assicurano la tutela spontanea di vaste aree.
MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED
– Municipalities of Andreis, Cimolais, Claut, Erto and Casso, Frisanco and Tramonti di Sopra
(Province of Pordenone)
– Municipalities of Forni di Sopra and Forni di Sotto
(Province of Udine)
MAJOR PEAKS
Toc (m 1921), Duranno (m 2652), Preti (2706), Monfalconi di Montanaia (m 2548), Vacalizza (m 2266), Pramaggiore (m 2478), Cridola (m 2851), Cornaget (m 2323), Dosaip (m 2062), Caserine (m 2306), Chiarescons (m 2168), Frascola (m 1961), Ressetum (m 2067), Raut (m 2025), Castello (m 1923), Borgà (m 2228), Turlon (m 2312), Vetta Fornezze (2110).
MAJOR RIVERS AND STREAMS
Zemola, Vajont, Cimoliana, Settimana, Cellina, Silisia, Meduna, Poschiadea, Dria, Giaf, Fiume Tagliamento.
The considerable wealth of flora in the whole area of the park depends on the opportunity of shelter and survival given by these territories to countless species during the period of the glaciers expansion. Therefore, besides the multiplicity of species typical of the temperate zone, there are also authentic endemic elements, ie native organisms formed in ancient times today still surviving in original and limited areas. Among these endemic species we highlight: the huteri Sandstone, the Gentiana froelichi, the splendid Pianella della Madonna (Cypripedium calceolus), the Daphne blagayana (a specimen of Timeleacea found in Italy in the area of Raut and Tramontino only in 1989).
The fauna is also interesting: this depends mainly on the environmental variability of this Alpine-mountain area. Permanently we can find chamois, roe deer, marmots, grouses, black grouses, deer and a large colony of wild goats in continuous expansion. A sign of the great naturalness of the park environment is the Golden Eagle consistency; in every valley is estimated the presence of a breeding pair. The existence of a well-structured and essential population of Golden Eagle, detectable by the occupation of all territories available, clearly indicates environmental health and the presence of a rich fauna.
SYMBOL
The Golden Eagle (Aquila crysaetus), present in every valley, is a sign of a high level environmental health.
MONITORING
È svolta dal Corpo Forestale Regionale.
Forestry stations of Barcis Forestry, Claut, Forni di Sopra, Maniago, Meduno.