An extraordinary, precious, water reserve. Made possible by the calcareous nature of the rock the helped the absorption and accumulation of rainwater, feeding rivers and streams announcing an exuberant and luxuriant vegetation.

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The Picentini Mountains are a hymn to Mother Nature which, due to these characteristics, have been under the protection of a regional park covering over 62 thousand hectares since 1993. With the precise goal of protecting the largest water basin in the South.

In the park that includes thirty municipalities of the provinces of Avellino and Salerno, many rivers  like Sele, Calore, Ofanto, Sabato, Picentino, Tusciano and Solforano are born, flowing there for a good part of their route, with all their streams. Their waters, since Roman times, have fed the aqueducts serving Irpinia and Salerno, Naples and its entire surrounding, and on the opposite side, Puglia.

Besides the rivers and the richness in water, the Park also safeguards the other distinctive element of its territory, the limestone-dolomitic ridge that constitutes the Picentini Mountains and reaches its maximum height with the 1809 meters of Monte Cervialto, a true naturalistic paradise, like every other peak of the chain: Terminio, Falascosa, Raiamagra, Calvello, Polveracchio, Nai, Raia, Monna and Costa Caldo. Their sides are covered with dense forests of oak, beech and chestnut. Much of the chestnut production of Campania is concentrated in this park, with the excellences of Serino and Montella. And between 800 and 1600 meters there are also woods of the now very rare Black Pine (Pinus nigra).

The rich vegetation offers ideal living conditions for many species of mammals, birds, rodents and reptiles. And it has partially reconquered the spaces that in ancient times also occupied the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the totemic animal of the Samnite tribe in Irpinia.

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The presence of numerous and remarkable traces of human settlements and the various civilizations that followed one another over the centuries, are completing the picture of the peculiarities making Picentini a unicum of great environmental and historical value.

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An incredible example of the intertwining of natural beauty and human creativity can be found on Mount Rainone, in the cave of S. Michael Archangel in Olevano, that houses a sacred complex with 11th-12th century frescoes. Other caves to discover are those of Caliendo in Bagnoli Irpino, Dragone in Volturara Irpina and Strazzatrippa and Angeli in Acerno.

Two naturalistic oases managed by the WWF are also socketed in the regional park: the Natural Oasis Valley of the Hunt on the south-eastern side of the Picentini and the Natural Oasis Mount Polveracchio.

The following municipalities are part of the park territory: Acerno, Bagnoli Irpino, Calvanico, Calabritto, Campagna, Caposele, Castelvetere sul Calore, Castiglione del Genovesi, Chiusano di San Domenico, Eboli, Fisciano, Giffoni Sei Casali, Giffoni Valle Piana, Lioni, Montecorvino Rovella, Montella, Montemarano, Montoro, Nusco, Olevano sul Tusciano, Oliveto Citra, San Cipriano Picentino, San Mango Piemonte, Santa Lucia di Serino, Santo Stefano del Sole, Senerchia, Serino, Solofra, Sorbo, Serpico and Volturara Irpina.

 

SENERCHIA - Valle della Caccia Natural Oasis
The name Valle della Caccia, in evident contradiction with its current function, has remained to bear witness to an ancient era, definitively filed away by the protection to which this delightful oasis within the largest Monti Picentini Regional Park. With its 450 hectares of extension and a height that reaches 1600 meters above sea level, the valley is nestled between Monte della Croce, Raia della Volpe and Monte la Picciola, on the south-eastern slope of the Picentini. Managed by the WWF, its highest part is an integral nature reserve, therefore accessible only for study purposes and closed to the public, while the remaining part can be visited, where nature is no less generous in its variety and beauty.
The visit route, about a kilometer long and also suitable for families, passes close to the great Sele river, but accompanies a minor stream, the Acquabianca stream, which takes its name from the presence in its bed of white pebbles of clear calcareous origin, capable of giving particularly suggestive nuances and reflections to the water. All around, the vegetation is luxuriant and includes, among the many species, several orchids. Not to be missed is the Grotta del Muschio, where the plant grows luxuriantly thanks to the water that constantly descends from the rocks above. But the greatest amazement is reserved, at the end of the journey, by the superb waterfall with which the Acquabianca overcomes a difference in height of about thirty metres, bidding farewell to visitors in the most spectacular way.
All around, the dense vegetation is formed, in the lower part, mainly by beeches, Turkey oaks, maples and heather, and, higher up, by birch trees and the very rare black pine. The undergrowth is also rich, with many flowers and various species of wild orchids.
Extremely fascinating is also the so-called Sentiero della Grotta Profunnata, which is instead recommended for experienced hikers. The route is identified with an ancient mule track, has a rest area in the central part and leads up to the cave, which is around 955 meters high. The cave, which also contains a lake inside, was completely explored in 2004 even in the part that requires equipment and experience from speleologists, while it can be visited by expert travelers in the first rooms near the entrance. Those that were once used as a safe haven by brigands.
The oasis is inhabited by many animals: wild boars, wolves, foxes, weasels, martens, dormice, curiaian rhinolophs, greater rhinolophs, squirrels and badgers. Among the reptiles it has snakes, cervoni, green lizards, arrows, and fire salamanders. The rich avifauna includes, among others, peregrine falcons, buzzards, kestrels, rock partridges, larks, nightingales, woodcocks, woodlark, thrushes, eagle owls, black woodpeckers, choughs, corals and specimens of the rare lanner