The Aschiero Beech Forest

On the Prati di Tivo, there are approximately three hectares of ancient forest within a larger beech forest, known as the Faggeta di Aschiero.

The rugged terrain, characterized by outcroppings and rock faces, has protected the Faggeta from human exploitation over time, which is evident in the more accessible forest areas. A favorable climate and a lack of deforestation have allowed the development of trees with trunks over a meter in diameter, with broad canopies and complex architecture, thanks in part to the distance between them. among them.

Within the forest there are numerous dead trees, both standing and fallen to the ground. Of particular interest are the so-called habitat trees: decomposing or hollow trunks, which contribute, together with the accentuated rockiness, to the proliferation of biodiversity, with species of community interest reported within the old-growth area with densities higher than the average found in the territory of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, which holds their protection.