Val Bavona: Foroglio-San Carlo

The Bavona Valley is a fascinating area. A place where the enterprising spirit of man has perfectly blended with nature, with a truly surprising richness in terms of biodiversity. Two routes are proposed to observe it, both starting from Foroglio: the first runs towards San Carlo, while the second ventures into the Calnègia Valley. The privilege, besides admiring a postcard landscape, is to cross nationally important floodplain areas rich in plant species (such as the crack willow, white alder, or ash) and animals (such as the red frog or the spotted salamander). Along the route, there are also clearly visible splüi (rock shelters) and hanging meadows (cultivated boulders) as a testimony to man’s ingenuity in exploiting even the most unlikely places for food. This particular agricultural landscape is also highly appreciated by several reptile species (such as the wall lizard or the Italian orbettino), crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, and a myriad of butterflies (more than 100 species have been identified). At higher altitudes, chamois, ibex, and marmots find their ideal habitat, as well as the rock partridge, a species as fascinating as it is difficult to observe.

Discover many other walks "Discovering biodiversity" in the printed guide. Information: www.a-pro.ch