AREA
The area of “Bosco del Barone” measures 127, 74.20 ha .

FLORA
The natural wood of about 80 ha is constituted prevalently by coppice of Turkey oak and durmast. The beech is found at high altitude and with North exposure. There are also other species like maples, hornbeams, ashes and sorbs. In the dampest areas, it is possible to see willows and poplars. Its shrubbery consists in whitethorns, blackthorns, hazels, privets and blackberries. There are lianas like ivy, woodbine and clematis. In the past, the area was also subjected to reafforestation with conifers, like Aleppo pine, black pine, stone-pine, citrons and cypresses, occupying 40 ha in all.

FAUNA
In the wood there are raptors like buzzards and kites and other birds: thrushes, blackbirds, ring-doves, jays, quails. There are also foxes, hares, wild boars, squirrels, dormice and different kinds of reptiles and amphibians.

FIRES PREVENTION ACTIVITY
Considering that the wood occupies an high percentage of the whole area and still more than the forests, their location in agricultural context and their prevalent west exposure, we can assert that the “Bosco del Barone” is an area at high risk of fire. So, the State Forester constantly carries out a series of activities in order to prevent the danger of fires, by servicing the “firebreak” strips, eliminating the exceeding biomass, creating points of water storing, servicing and integrating the road network service. In 2003 the natural pond “Lagarone” was proofed, creating a water point that, not yet filled in, was useful to helicopters for drawing water in the same summer. On the other side of the forest, another point of water is functioning.

WOOD CARE AND IMPROVEMENT
Besides the activities of fire prevention, the State Forester is also responsible for the wood care, consisting, for instance, in reconstructing the areas scoured and damaged by fire and carrying out interventions for biodiversity regulation and preservation.

GUIDED TOURS
To book guided tours of the “Bosco del Barone” Regional State Forest, address to the Administration Office for the State Forests of Isernia, situated in via Bellini 8/10, tel. 0865 3935, fax 0865 413491, or to the Forester’s Headquarters of Montagano (CB), tel. 0874 451169.

LOCATION
The “Bosco del Barone” Regional State Forest is situated in the territory of the Commune of Montagano (CB).

(Fonte: pubblicazione a cura del Corpo Forestale dello Stato - Ufficio per la Biodiversità di Isernia)