User:Ehoffma3/Parco nazionale delle Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre National Park is a protected area inducted a national park in 1999, located in Liguria in the province of La Spezia, and includes, in addition to the territory of the three towns of Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore, Vernazza and Monterosso), a portion of Common Levanto (Punta Mesco) and La Spezia (Campiglia Sunsets).

The park can be divided into two parts: the National Park and the Marine Protected Area.

Description of the Park

The Cinque Terre National Park was established on October 6, 1999 in recognition of the territory's considerable scenic, agricultural, historical and cultural value. The Cinque Terre is a National Park and Protected Marine with the aim of protecting cultural heritage. This is the first Italian Park created to safeguard a landscape that has been mostly built by man. To achieve its objectives, the Park Organization encourages the development of responsible tourism, able therefore to invest in the identity of the places and the territory's products, and thus save its immense heritage of terracing, now endangered.

The Park protects a coastal area where man has created a stable life and mutual coexistence between self and nature. The villages and terraced with dry stone walls lie in a coastal environment typically Mediterranean where the mountains of 'Appennino Ligure come straight to the sea, creating a unique environment.

The climate is typically Mediterranean with dry summers and mild winters.

-http://www.cinqueterreresidence.it/eng/cinque_terre/national_park/cinque_terre_national_park.php

Flora

Fauna

How to reach the Park

Cinque Terre National Park is located on steep cliffs and terrian which can be hard to access. For example, one of the five towns, Manarola is made up of sloping walking paths and steps. No cars, no taxis are allowed inside, except small ones for delivery or green electric buses just along the main road; cars may be parked outside the built up area and the heart of the town either alongside the road or at the payment park, which is managed by the National Park.

Train

By car

To get to Riomaggiore must exit at La Spezia-S.Stefano Lean on 'Take the A12, coming from Genoa or Livorno or on the' motorway A15 coming from Parma. Crossing the city, we must take the SP370 (formerly SS 370) that the Cinque Terre coast road and after about fifteen minutes to get close to the junction that leads down to Riomaggiore. Follow road ahead instead meets the junction which drops to Manarola then Corniglia, Vernazza and finally Monterosso al Mare.

An alternative may be to exit at Levanto - Carrodano on A12 Highway, arrive in the Levantine country and undertake the climb to Passo term where there is a crossroads that connects Monterosso to Levanto Pignone. From there you can take the SP370 in the direction opposite to the previous description.

In all the Cinque Terre most parking lots are reserved for residents and the availability of parking is limited, due to lack of adequate space. Because of this aspect of the descent to the villages can be possible only on foot. However, there is an electric bus service operated by the National Park that in periods of greatest tourist influx provides for the connection of villages with the coast road.

From the sea

During the tourist season a boat service runs regularly scheduled through the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza and Riomaggiore to Portovenere, in turn connected with the La Spezia and Lerici.

On Foot

There are two main paths that reach and cross the National Park of Cinque Terre, both reported by section Spezia of CAI.

The first is the number 1 ridge, known as the Alta Via delle Cinque Terre. This old path runs along the divide separating the coast of Cinque Terre from Val di Vara and is a secondary branch of the Ligurian Alta Via dei Monti, which connects with the Monte Zatta. From the ridge you can then reach the villages of the Cinque Terre trails cross through one of which descend to the sea along the ridges and valleys secondary or delimited by it.

Most important, from west to east, are the routes number 9, 8, 7, 6, 02, 01 and 3. Then there is the coastal path number 2, known as the Blue Trail, which connects Riomaggiore to Monterosso through all the villages of the Cinque Terre and taking in the stretch between Riomaggiore and Manarola, the appearance of the famous Street of Love.

Unlike that of the ridge and the coastal trail is subject to payment of an entrance fee imposed by the National Park.

Natural Protected Marine Area of Cinque Terre

The coast along the Cinque Terre is characterized by high cliffs, caves, bays, tiny beaches and cleft rocks. Marine life in the stretch of the coast which extends from Punta Mesco at Monterosso to Capo Montenegro at Riomaggiore is rich and varied. The steep faces of the cliffs under water and the shallows and isolated rocks are populated by various kinds of gorgonia (sea fans), such as the colorful Leptogorgia sarmentosa and the white Eunicella verrucosa, a rare species in the Mediterranean, but fairly common along this part of the coast. The Posidonia oceanica, a plant that creates very important grass-like colonies, grows here and provides a safe habitat for the reproduction of many organisms. The steep rock faces of Punta Mesco and Capo Montenegro have the richest forms of marine life including rare species: the Eunicella verrucosa mentioned above, the rare Gerardia savaglia, or black coral. At a depth of only about 15/20 metres at Punta Mesco, unlike the rest of the Mediterranean, it is possible to discover the fans of the Paramuricea clavata or red gorgonia.

Also, Cinque Terre is populated with dolphins. This part of the sea is included in the Cetacean Sanctuary, an international protected area where marine mammals can be found.

-http://www.mareterra.it/news/5Terre_NP.html, 2003

Administration

The Cinque Terre are composed of five countries: from West to East:

Monterosso (common)
Vernazza (common)
Corniglia (village of Vernazza)
Manarola (village of Riomaggiore)
Riomaggiore (common)

Other municipalities whose territory is part of the Cinque Terre National Park:

Levanto
La Spezia

See also Other projects Notes External links

References

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parco_nazionale_delle_Cinque_Terre>