 Monday, December 01, 2008 |
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National Park Tuscan archipelagoText by the Agenzia Turismo per l’Arcipelago Toscano Embracing an area that expands 600sq.km. between Livorno and the Argentario's promontory, within the National Park area are situated seven islands: Capraia, Elba, Giannutri, Giglio, Gorgona, Montecristo and Pianosa. Also included are the tiny rock formations known as the formiche (ants) di Grosseto and other tiny islands. The largest of the islands in the tuscan Archipelago is Elba (223,5 sq.kms.) and the smallest is Gorgona with an area of 2,23sq.kms. The island farthest from the coast is Montecristo which is located 68 kms from the coast. The closest of the islands are Elba and Capraia with only 34 kms separating them.
Despite their reduced dimensions, the islands are each endowed with a vast variety of landscapes and scenery and despite their close proximity are each quite unique.Elba for example,boasts a divided and complex land structure where as the neighbouring Pianosa is entirely flat and the island of Montecristo is simular to a cone in formation. Along the sea shapen coastlines caves and inlets alternate with small beaches protected by wild promontories and colorful covers rock faces quashing reminders of the presence of man. Landscape and Morphology are derived from the diverse geological origins of the various islands. Gorgonia and Montecristo are composed entirely of granite whereas Giglio and Elba are formed from a mixture of Granite and rock deposits. Interestingly, Giannutri and Pianosa consist of limestone whilst Capraia was formed as a result of a fusion of rock through volcanic activity.
The traditional industry, before the tourist boom, was that of mining which once constituted the primary economic resource of the islands. The intensity of the mining activities which developed over the years is now reflected in the current state of vegetation. The necessity for considerable amounts of
charcoal used for the manufacture of the
minerals and the timber required for woodwork
and the frame structures of the mines contributed
to the depletion of the Holm Oak forests.
Birdlife constitutes the most predominant
species of fauna present on the islands
with 600 nesting couples of the royal seagull,
200 couples of the Corsican seagull and
both the major and the minor species of
the shag for a total of 30 nesting couples. The sea that surrounds the islands is home to all typical Tyrrhenian Sea species; sea anemone, sea-fans, coral, starfish. Also present are various types of dolphin, the brownstone bass and the rare moon fish. Occasional sightings of the sperm-whale and the common razor-back. Extremely sporadic are sightings of the nun seal. Informations: DIRITTI E DOVERI ALL'INTERNO DEL PARCO D.P.R. 22/7/96 - art. 3
- "Divieti generali" |
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In
the predominately windy regions "low"
woods prevail, consisting mainly of red
rock-rose and marine rock-rose. A Beautifully
combined bush land composed of blackhornbean,
black alder and chestnut with exceptional
uncultivated land covering the slope of
Monte Capanne on the island of Elba. Of
particular importance are the limited to
only few of the islands just as the violet
and the cornflowers typical of Elba and
the toadflax of Capraia.
