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In
the Lunigiana area, surrounded by the Tuscan, Ligurian and Emilia
Apennine mountain range Zeri’s valleys are a unique scenario
with meadows, pasturelandsfor sheep, cows and horses, woodlands
and mountains.
The isolation of these areas has allowed the countryside to
remain intact and its population still live according to ancient
traditions. And all this is what makes Zeri so unique.
A world with ancient roots which today welcomes tourists to
its valleys, especially sporting and skiing enthusiasts who
will delight in the Passo Due Santi ski resort.
It is quite a unique experience to ski on mountains which are
covered with thick vegetation and, from the highest point at
1,600 metres, look down on the Ligurian Sea, the dazzling white
snow contrasting with the deep blue of the sea.
But Passo Due Santi is much more than a well-equipped ski resort
with modern ski lifts and ski runs which are always perfect
thanks to the use of artificial snow, it has also become a hub
for many sporting and other kinds of activities throughout the
year. These include mountain biking, horse riding, fishing,
festivals and many other events which are oprganised for sport
and nature lovers.
The Municipality of Zeri on
some 73,61 square kilometres, lies on the southern end of
the Upper Lunigiana between the towns of Pontremoli and Mulazzo
and the Apennine mountain range, on the borders of Liguria
and Emilia Romagna. It consists of four very beautiful and
colourful valleys hich lie at between 200 and 850 metres:
the Zeri Valley, the Adelano Valley, the Rossano Valley and
the Codolo Valley.
Zeri ‘s valleys are surrounded by mountains which, given
their height and conformation, isolate them almost completely
from the rest of the country. The highest peaks are Mount
Fabei (1,584 m.), Mount Gottero (1,639 m.), Mount Focetto
(1536m.) and Mount Spiaggi (1554m.).
The flora, a veritable treasure-trove
conserved intact down the centuries, consists of chestnuts,
beech, hornbeams and turkey oaks on the higher slopes, while
lower down we find olives and vines and Zeri’s beans
and potatoes, ancient cultivations which have conserved the
ancient production techniques up to the present day and for
which only natural fertilizers are used.
There is a wide range of fauna, with many species of birds
and mammals, including birds of prey like the royal eagle,
the sparrow-hawk, the buzzard, the kestrel and the tawny owl
which live in the woods in total symbiosis with nature.
Among the mammals there are many wild boars, hares, foxes,
bears, badgers, weasels, squirrels, stone-martens and dormice.
Among the mammals which live in close contact with man there
are the famous Zeri sheep, Bardigiano horses, Zeri sheep dogs
and the Apennine bloodhound which is typical to Zeri.
Then there are the many reptiles which populate Zeri’s
woods and which find their ideal natural habitat here: from
the Orbettino lizard to the viper. The many torrents and streams
in the area are rich in trout and the vairone which is a variety
of pike. This is also an area with a wealth of water and many
of them are mineral and sulphureous waters.
The
flora, a veritable treasure-trove conserved intact down the
centuries, consists of chestnuts, beech, hornbeams and turkey
oaks on the higher slopes, while lower down we find olives and
vines and Zeri’s beans and potatoes, ancient cultivations
which have conserved the ancient production techniques up to
the present day and for which only natural fertilizers are used.
There is a wide range of fauna, with many species of birds
and mammals, including birds of prey like the royal eagle,
the sparrow-hawk, the buzzard, the kestrel and the tawny owl
which live in the woods in total symbiosis with nature.
Among the mammals there are many wild boars, hares, foxes,
bears, badgers, weasels, squirrels, stone-martens and dormice.
Among the mammals which live in close contact with man there
are the famous Zeri sheep, Bardigiano horses, Zeri sheep dogs
and the Apennine bloodhound which is typical to Zeri.
Then there are the many reptiles which populate Zeri’s
woods and which find their ideal natural habitat here: from
the Orbettino lizard to the viper. The many torrents and streams
in the area are rich in trout and the vairone which is a variety
of pike. This is also an area with a wealth of water and many
of them are mineral and sulphureous waters.
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