|
The park
 The Vesuvius National Park was founded on the 5 of June,
1995. It was founded in order to preserve animal and vegetable species,
vegetable and forest associations, geological peculiarities, palaeontological
formations, biological communities, biotopes, scenic and panoramic values,
natural processes, ecological balances. Its purposes are, moreover, the
application of ways of management or environmental restoration suitable to
realize an integration between man and the natural habitat, also through the
protection anthropological, archaeological, historical and architectural values
and the protection of traditional and pastoral activities; the promotion of
educational and formative activities of scientifis research, that can be
interdisciplinary too, the promotion of compatible recreational activities as
well; another purpose is the defence and the reconstitution of hydraulic and hydrogeological balances. The task and the values concerning the Vesuvius
National Park are even wider because we have to defend the
most famous volcano in the world, and at the same time one of the five most
dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the high urban conurbation that ahs
recently grown up around it, disrespectful of the laws forbidding the
construction of buildings. So the Vesuvius National Park represents an anomaly
among the European National Parks, a sort of challenge aimed to rescue the wild
and enchanting beauty of Vesuvius and Monte Somma (Somma Mountain), pulling them
away from the incredible deterioration and giving them back to the pleasure of
the old and the new generations they belong to.
Environment and Nature
 The territories around the Vesuvius and Monte Somma are differentfor various
environmental seasons but, at the same time, they share some aspects, in
particular the strong anthropization that characterizes the lowest slopes of
both mountains. Speaking of the differences, it is necessary to point out that
the first area is drier and sunnier than the other, with a typical Mediterranean
vegetation, artificial grown pinewoods and ilex trees, which are occupying more
ground in comparison with pines, and are reforming the splendid Mediterranean
forest. The second (Monte Somma) is damper with a wood vegetation similar to the
Apennine one, with chestnut woods, oak trees, alders, maples, ilexes; among
these there is, even if rarely found, the wonderful birch, a very unusual
presence in a Mediterranean habitat. The colonization of lava grounds by the numerous plants,
begins after the cool down and is due to the liche Stereocaulon vesuvianum,
which has a coral shape, it is grey and is the first living being which
installed itself on the cold lava by preparing the land in receiving roots of
the plants. It entirely covers the Vesuvian lava making it change to grey,
giving the lava a silvery reflection during the full-moon nights. The list of
plants includes 906 different species. Among these species we can observe
interesting types, such as the Neapolitan maple, the Neapolitan alder and the Helichrysum
litoreum, particularly abundant on the Vesuvius. We can point out also the
large number of orchids (23) and the broom present in different species: Genista
tinctoria, Genista aetnensis; the last one was imported from Etna in 1906
and today it is widespread on the entire Vesuvian territory.
The fauna
 The fauna of the Park is particularly rich and interesting.
Among mammals, there is the "oaken mouse", the presence of whiwh is
rare in other parts of Italy, but there is also a presence of the dormouse, the
beech-marten, the fox, the wild rabbit, and of the hare. More than 100 species
of birds live there, which can be classified as resisents, migrants, wintering
and breeding. Interesting is the contruction of nests by the various birds, the
buzzars, kestrel, hoopoe, turtle-dove, woodpidgeon, great spotter woodpecker,
rock thrush, raven, coal tit. Recently there have been more frequent
observations of the sparrowhawk, a very elegant and woody predatory bird. During
the winter the woodcock, the black redstart, the wryneck, the song thrush, the
siskin remain in the Park. During the period of mogrations garden warblers,
subalpine warblers, pied flycatchers, redstarts, black eared wheater,
woodwarblers, golden orioles, nightjars, bee eaters and many other species fly
over the Park, many of which coming from sub-saharian quarters where they spend
the winter. Among the reptiles we have to mention the coloured green-lizard, the
inoffensive western whyp snake and the Turkish Gecko. Among the invertebrates we
can notice the most coloured diurnal and nocturnal butterflies that remain
during the flowering of the Mediterranean Vesuvian soil.
Agricoltura e Artigianato
 The Vesuvian agriculture, thanks to the lava ground rich in minerals, to the
excellent draining and to the Mediterranean climate, is considered unique for
the variety and the special taste of its products. Among the various fruits,
apricots and cherries are the typical products of the area. Of the hundreds of
different kinds of existent apricots, the most widely known are the "Pellecchiella",
that are considered the best for their particularly sweet taste and for the
compactness of the pulp, the "Boccuccia liscia" with a bittersweet
taste and the "Boccuccia spinosa", called in that way for the skin
which is not smooth, the "Cafona", the "Carpone" with a
sugary taste. Of the other kinds, all very tasty, we must remember "Baracca",
"Vitillo", "Monaco bello", "Prete", "Palummella".
The cherries, less numerous, are cultivated mostly at the foot of Monte Somma.
Among the most famous we must remember the "Ciliegia Malizia", with a
red consistent and juicy pulp and aromatic taste and the "Ciliegia del
Monte", that is considered the best for eating: its colours are yellow and
red, and the pulp is light, juicy and scented. Other typical products are the
famous "Pomodorini da serbo" (small tomatoes). They are small, round,
with a characteristic pointed end, and they have a sweet acidulous taste, due to
the special concentration of sugars and moneral salts. They are picked unripen
in summer and preserved tied to a string twisted in a circle. Kept in dry places
and far from sunlight, they ripen, preserving their tasty and succulent pulp,
protected by the skin, that slowly dries up. The bunch of "Pomodorini"
picked in this way, are called "piennolo", They are used on macaroni,
on pizza, and make very good sauces for fish and for meat. The volcanic complex
of Somma-Vesuvio is moreover famous (since the time of the ancient Romans) for
the greatness of its wines. At the foot of the volcano the grapes "Falanghina"
of Vesuvius, the "Coda di volpe" (locally called "Caprettone")
are cultivated and the "Piedirosso" of Vesuvius from which we can
obtain the famous "Lachryma Christi", a wine with an enjoyable
vinous
scent with a dry and aromatic taste. We find a variety of red, rose and white
wine and it becomes DOC when it reaches 12 percent alcohol. Let us not forget
the "Catalanesca" grapes, very good for their plump and sweet pulp,
that grow in small quantities mostly at the slopes of Monte Somma. A particular
wine is obtained from the local farms characterised by its opaque colour and its
strong after-taste. Among the vegetables we can point out, in addiction to the
fennels and beans, also "Friarielli", which is broccoli that has a
strong and bitter taste used in Italian cooking to flavour macaroni, meat and
pizza. Speaking of the dried fruits, walnuts and nuts are excellent. The
production of honey is also very widespread. The Vesuvian handcrafts have old
origins. They show signs of of a glorious activity close to art andsometimes
blended together with it, giving a strong impulse to authentic artistic
handcrafts. The Vesuvian handcraft known and appreciated for its quality of work
and its use of materials, characterized by the presence of such a disruptive
neighbour, is the result of tenacious work: corals and cameos, limestone, copper
and various materials are mounted and cut, engraved, forged by able hands,
guided by a true passion. Thanks to the renewal and efficient use of historical
places (Ville Vesuviane), today the artisan production is overcoming the old
mistrust for co-operative working and is promoting its products at the highest
international levels.
Localities
There are 13 localities in the
park area:
Boscoreale,
Boscotrecase,
Ercolano,
Massa di Somma,
Ottaviano,
Pollena
Trocchia,
Sant'Anastasia,
San
Giuseppe Vesuviano,
San Sebastiano
al Vesuvio,
Somma
Vesuviana,
Terzigno,
Torre del Greco,
Trecase.
|
|
