The Fonte Novello Forest

In the upper Venacquaro Valley, in the hamlet of Intemesoli, lies the ancient Fonte Novello Forest. Several dozen hectares of beech forests are among the oldest and best preserved in the entire Apennine range.

Since the 17th century, the forest has managed to avoid logging thanks to the long-running dispute between the municipality of Pietracamela and the neighboring municipality of Fano Adriano, both intent on taking possession of it. This has allowed the growth of colossal centuries-old trees (with trunks over a meter in diameter and crowns over forty meters high). The large amount of decaying wood creates a highly diverse and rich microenvironment in the undergrowth; At the same time, the particular conditions found in the ancient forest of Fonte Novello favor a rich and diverse fauna, with the presence of mammals and bird species that find the ancient stands a particularly suitable habitat.

Today, the forest is under the protection of the Abruzzo and Monti della Laga National Park and can be reached by starting from the dirt path that climbs from the village of Intermesoli towards the upper Venacquaro Valley.