{{Short description|Nature reserve in Veneto, Italy}} {{Infobox Protected area | name = Parco naturale regionale della Lessinia | iucn_category = | image = Bosco Chiesanuova (Grietz Dossetti Tinazzo) Lessinia VR Italy 2013-04-01 photo CTG ACA LESSINIA Paolo Villa 0058.jpg | image_caption = | image_size = | map = | map_caption = | map_width = | location = Veneto, Italy | nearest_city = | coordinates = {{coord|45|41|N|11|03|E|type:landmark_region:IT_dim:20000|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = | area = 10,201 hectares | established = 1990 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = | url = https://lessiniapark.it/ }}
The '''Lessinia Regional Park''' ({{langx|it|Parco naturale regionale della Lessinia}}) is a nature reserve in Veneto, Italy. Established in 1990, it covers the northern part of the Lessinia region, in the Venetian Prealps, between the provinces of Verona and Vicenza. It is both a Special Protection Area and a Site of Community Importance.<ref>[https://www.regione.veneto.it/web/agricoltura-e-foreste/download#IT3210040 I siti del Veneto]</ref><ref>[https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/parco-naturale-dei-monti-lessini Fondo Ambiente Italiano]</ref><ref>[https://www.altalessinia.com/parco-naturale-della-lessinia/ Altalessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.visitlessinia.eu/it/la-lessinia/conoscerelalessinia/parco-naturale-regionale-della-lessinia/ VisitLessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.regione.veneto.it/parco-lessinia Regione Veneto]</ref><ref>[https://www.parks.it/parco.lessinia/par.php Parks.it]</ref><ref>[https://lessiniapark.it/storia-cultura/ Il parco regionale della Lessinia]</ref>
The park stretches over 10,000 hectares in the territory of fifteen municipalities, thirteen of which belong to the province of Verona and the remaining two to the province of Vicenza; it encompasses all the mountains of the province of Verona, between 1,200 and 1,900 meters above sea level, except for Monte Baldo. The highest point of the park is the peak of Monte Zevola, 1,976 meters above sea level.<ref>[https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/parco-naturale-dei-monti-lessini Fondo Ambiente Italiano]</ref><ref>[https://www.altalessinia.com/parco-naturale-della-lessinia/ Altalessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.visitlessinia.eu/it/la-lessinia/conoscerelalessinia/parco-naturale-regionale-della-lessinia/ VisitLessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.regione.veneto.it/parco-lessinia Regione Veneto]</ref><ref>[https://www.parks.it/parco.lessinia/par.php Parks.it]</ref><ref>[https://lessiniapark.it/storia-cultura/ Il parco regionale della Lessinia]</ref>
Agroforestry and silvopasture have played an important role in shaping Lessinia, with much of its territory consisting of pastures – among the most extensive pasturages in the Italian Alps. Cows, sheep (including the Brogna, a breed unique to Lessinia), goats and horses are bred in the region.<ref>[https://www.pecorabrogna.it/ Pecora Brogna]</ref><ref>[https://www.reterurale.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/21171 Alti pascoli della Lessinia]</ref>
The park's flora consists of hornbeams, oaks and chestnuts in the valleys, beeches and pines at higher elevations, and alders, mountain pines and rhododendrons at the highest altitudes. The fauna includes red deer, roe deer, chamoises, marmots, foxes, European hares, golden eagles, Eurasian eagle-owls, Western capercaillies, black grouses, hazel grouses, snow buntings, Alpine newts, and fire salamanders.<ref>[https://lessiniapark.it/natura/fauna-del-parco-e-resoconti-ornitologici/ La fauna del parco]</ref><ref>[https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/parco-naturale-dei-monti-lessini Fondo Ambiente Italiano]</ref><ref>[https://www.altalessinia.com/parco-naturale-della-lessinia/ Altalessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.visitlessinia.eu/it/la-lessinia/conoscerelalessinia/parco-naturale-regionale-della-lessinia/ VisitLessinia]</ref><ref>[https://www.regione.veneto.it/parco-lessinia Regione Veneto]</ref><ref>[https://www.parks.it/parco.lessinia/par.php Parks.it]</ref><ref>[https://lessiniapark.it/storia-cultura/ Il parco regionale della Lessinia]</ref> Wolves, which had become extinct in the region in the first half of the 19th century, made their return in 2012, when Slavc, a male wolf coming from Slovenia, formed a breeding pair with Giulietta, a female coming from farther west in the Italian Alps; Giulietta gave birth to at least 42 wolves over the next decade, heavily contributing to the reintroduction of the species in the Eastern Alps.<ref>[https://www.iononhopauradellupo.it/approfondimento-sulla-presenza-del-lupo-in-lessinia-2022/ Approfondimento sulla presenza del lupo in lessinia]</ref><ref>[https://ilmanifesto.it/slavc-e-giulietta-cuori-di-lupo Slav e Giulietta, cuori di lupo]</ref>
The park was managed by the mountain community of Lessinia until 2019, when a body specifically tasked with its management was created, in compliance with a new regional law.<ref>[https://bur.regione.veneto.it/BurvServices/pubblica/DettaglioLegge.aspx?id=373060 Legge regionale 23/2018]</ref> In 2020, five municipalities proposed to cut the park's area by 2,000 hectares, claiming that the park imposed excessive restrictions and bureaucracy on agricultural activities; the proposal was approved by the regional council of Veneto, but dropped following massive protests by environmentalists, including a symbolic march by 10,000 people in the territory of Bosco Chiesanuova, where the seat of the park is located.<ref>[https://www.ildolomiti.it/ambiente/2020/oltre-10mila-persone-per-dire-no-al-taglio-del-parco-della-lessinia-foto-e-video-gli-organizzatori-e-un-successo Oltre 10mila persone per dire no al taglio del parco della Lessinia (FOTO e VIDEO). Gli organizzatori: “È un successo”]</ref><ref>[https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2020/01/27/veneto-almeno-7mila-persone-in-cammino-per-salvare-il-parco-della-lessinia-che-la-lega-vuole-tagliare-zaia-tace-il-pd-finge-di-non-sapere/ Veneto, almeno 7mila persone in cammino per salvare il Parco della Lessinia che la Lega vuole tagliare. Zaia tace, il Pd: “Finge di non sapere”]</ref><ref>[https://www.larena.it/territorio-veronese/lessinia/parco-della-lessinia-ridotti-i-confini-raffica-di-reazioni-1.7890894?refresh_ce Parco della Lessinia, ridotti i confini Raffica di reazioni]</ref><ref>[https://www.larena.it/territorio-veronese/lessinia/parco-ridotto-%C3%A8-scontro-in-lessinia-1.7892809 Parco ridotto, è scontro in Lessinia]</ref><ref>[https://primadituttoverona.it/attualita/parco-della-lessinia-gava-nessuna-riduzione-dellarea/ Parco della Lessinia, Gava: "Nessuna riduzione dell'area"]</ref>
== References == <references/>
== External links == *[https://lessiniapark.it/ Official website] {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Authority control}}
Lessinia Category:1990 establishments in Italy Lessinia