"STRADA DELLE QUERCE SECOLARI"
On the territory of the region Marche, the most commonly found oak is the "Quercus pubescens", trimming roads and surrounding fields. It is a peculiar element, witnessing the presence of a forest covering the hills of this land in old ages.

MONTE LINATRO
The most suggestive effect of Monte Linatro is given by meadow-pasture lands. They are man-made formations following deforestation, usually mowed in summer. During flowering time, you can easily find a number of flowers and herbs characterizing this environment (Briza media, Trifolium pratensis, Trifolium repens, Trifolium campestre, Orchis mascula, Orchis morio, Orchis ustulata).

FAGGETO DI SAN SILVESTRO E PASCOLI DEL MONTE LINATRO
The San Silvestro beech-wood covers the northern slope of Monte Fano, near the hermitage Eremo di San Silvestro. It is a wood long left high trunk. San Silvestro beech-wood is actually one of the few examples of high trunk forests on the mountain basin Esino. Furthermore, you can find plant species that are, if not particularly rare, remarkable for the flora of this area. State and private pasture lands can be reached from Valleremita following a service road crossing the valley Valle Casella.

EREMO DI SAN SILVESTRO
Down the northern slope of Monte Fano, there is the hermitage Eremo di San Silvestro surrounded by a luxuriant high trunk beech-wood (Fagus sylvatica). At present it is one of the few examples of natural high trunk woods around Fabriano. It is a real pleasure to go for a walk in the wood, where you can see a lot of herb species typical of a beech-wood.

VALLEREMITA
Due to its particular naturalist environmental importance, in Valleremita a green area has been created, often visited by students and nature-lovers. Down the cool slopes, the valley is covered by a mixed wood (Ostrya carpinifolia, Fraxinus ornus) up to a height of 1,000 m., beyond that, there is a coppice (Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides, Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra, Ilex aquifolium). Down the sunny slopes, you can find typical Mediterranean plants, with a prevalence of ilex (Quercus ilex) with rare laurel (Laurus nobilis). Beneath the hermitage Eremo di Valdisasso, an interesting thermal reversion of plants can be noted, with beeches reaching very low heights, with century-old trees. At higher levels, where the ground becomes level and deeper, there are meadow-pasture lands rich of various flowers and herbs (Briza media, Filipendula vulgaris, Rhynanthus sp.); whereas, on steep areas, they are replaced by dry pasture lands with spotted grass covering (Sesleria apennina).

MONTE SERRA SANTA
The whole top side connecting Monte Nero, Monte Serra and Monte Aia Frangulea is covered, almost everywhere with wide pasture lands and meadows, where various meadow flowers thrive, considered quite relevant from a naturalist point of view. (Anthericum ramosum, Orchide minore, Orchide calabrese, Manina rosea). Due to their homogeneous conformation and wideness giving you the possibility to behold a beautiful landscape, they are considered a place of remarkable naturalist attraction.

FIUME SENTINO
The banks of this river are bordered by a continuing strip of riparious plants, combined with century-old oaks and weeds.

VAL DI RANCO
Val di Ranco is covered with an extraordinary beech-wood with century-old trees. The underwood is cool and rich of various kinds of flowers. To be noted the presence of holly (Ilex aquifolium) and rarely of yew (Taxus baccata). Of remarkable interest it is the underlying Valle di San Pietro, continuation of Val di Ranco, covered with rock-plants down the suggestive gorge. Its value derives also from laurel (Laurus nobilis), largely grown, but rarely found wild.

MONTE CATRIA
The territory including Monte Catria, Monte Acuto, Monte Alto, Monte Tenetra and Monte Morcia is covered with English oaks (Quercus pubescens) down the sunny slopes up to a height of 900 m., woods of black hornbeam and flowering ash up to 1,000 m., while, down the cool slopes and above there are wide beech-woods that reach a height of 1,500-1,600 m. Along watersheds and gorges it is possible to find areas covered with white hornbeam and hazel-nut. Beyond 1,500-1,600 m. of height, there are meadows and pasture lands of secondary origin. To nature lovers it is interesting to see how different plants grow according to changing environment conditions. 

MONTE DELLA STREGA
One of most remarkable elements of vegetation of Monte della Strega is given by wide pasture lands, almost continuing, where you can find peculiar flowers that are protected by the Regione Marche government (Lilium croceum, Orchis mascula, Dactylorhiza sambucina, Narcissus poeticus, Viola eugeniae). On its rock slopes rock plants thrive (Saxifraga paniculata) with particular plant species able to live under these circumstances (Edraianthus graminifolius, Cotoneaster integerrimus, Amelanchier ovalis).

PIANA DI FRASSINETA
Going down from Monte Strega towards Castiglioni reaching Frassineta, you can immediately notice the contrast between the mountain sharp slopes, covered with coppices and the underlying hill area widely cultivated, with a dramatic changing in the landscape. Here, there are large allotments trimmed by rows of oaks, along the country roads and by willows along small rivers. Great impression is given by small zones, no more cultivated, now conquered by brooms that enliven the landscape during their flowering in June and July. Near the settlement Frassineta, there is a land of arboreal vegetation.

MONASTERO DI SANTA CROCE
This monastery is beneath a high ground of 568 m. totally covered with woods of hornbeam and flowering ash, that, by contrast, enhances its architectural value.

VALLE SCAPPUCCIA
Now natural reserve, Valle Scappuccia is an area of remarkable naturalist importance both for the existence of plants dating back to the Tertiary and the variety and preservation of plants (Ephedra major). As a matter of fact, on the southern slopes, you can find the wild mountain maquis (Phillyrea media, Rubia peregrina, Asparagus acutifolius). The opposite slope shows natural woods and pine reforestati.

GOLA DELLA ROSSA
Crossed by the river Esino, the gorge Gola della Rossa is a very suggestive area for its overhanging walls, where it is possible to find rare plants (Moerhingia papulosa) that can be seen only on other three places in the region Marche. Due to its morphology, this gorge is poor in woods, with few exceptions. Particularly interesting is the existence of box-trees (Buxus sempervirens). On the steep slopes there are wild pasture plants (Helichrysum italicum, Teucrium chamaedrys, Satureja montana). Unfortunately, the gorge environment has been disfigured by quarries, even quite seriously in some places.

MONTE SAN VICINO
On the Monte San Vicino it is interesting to notice the wood rotation that is typical of the mountain chain Appennino. In fact, you can find woods of hornbeam and flowering ash up to 1,000 m., dotted with English oaks on warm slopes; beech-woods up to 1,450 m., usually coppice and with few high trunk trees; secondary pasture lands on the top area. On warm slopes, it is also possible to find Mediterranean plants (Phillyrea media, Pistacia terebinthus, Arbutus unedo). Monte San Vicino is a remarkable flower area, characterized by numerous interesting plants from a naturalist point of view.

GOLA DI FRASASSI
Entirely crossed by the river Fiume Sentino, the gorge Gola di Frasassi is together with Gola della Rossa a place of great suggestion, thanks to its overhanging calcareous walls. Down the southern slope, vegetation is characterized by Mediterranean and rock plants on calcareous walls (Moerhingia papulosa, Potentilla caulescens). On the opposite slope, you can find natural woods of hornbeam, flowering ash and laurel. Towards the outside, the cave walls are covered with ferns, algae and musk. The picture is made complete by the river Sentino, bordered by a narrow strip of hygrophilic plants. Due to its high naturalist value, the whole area has been proposed as Natural Reserve. It exerts a great attraction on tourists, also due to its renowned caves, such as the Grotta Grande del Vento, and its sulphurous waters used by the local thermae.

POGGIO SAN ROMUALDO
The tourist village Poggio San Romualdo stands out against the landscape of continuing pasture lands. It is indeed a compact settlement of houses trimmed by high trunk trees.

CASTELLETTA
Going up towards Castelletta you will find yourself surrounded by a beautiful landscape, enriched on the right by the sight of Gola di Frasassi, crossed by Fiume Sentino.

MONTE PIETROSO
The highest part of Monte Pietroso and the area included between the mountain and Poggio San Romualdo are covered with wide meadow-pasture lands, mowed in July for sheep grazing. On lowest areas, the endless pasture lands are dotted with English oaks, hornbeams and maples. Remarkable and impressive is the contrast between the meadow-pasture lands on flat grounds and the woods covering the steep slopes, that can be wild or the result of pine reforestation. The sight you can enjoy from here is breathtaking, embracing the peak of Monte San Vicino the mountains of Pioraco, up to Monte Catria, Monte Cucco and Monte della Strega.

MONTE MAGGIO
The most interesting area is the east slope of Monte Maggio (1,361 m.) located close to the border with the region Umbria and some lower mountains, such as Monte Vallarga (990 m.), Cimarello (831 m.) and Colle Aiale (862 m.). In the valley underneath Monte Maggio you can find the sorces of the river Giano affluent of the river Esino. This area includes various environments, with different ecological characteristics. Low levels are covered with English oak woods (Quercus pubescens) combined in some place with Mediterranean elments to create a Mediterranean mountain maquis (Quercus ilex, Phillyrea media). Reaching a level of 900 m. coppice is easily found (Scutellario-Ostryetum, Fagus sylvatica).

MONTE NERO
The Monte Nero belongs to the chain of mountains connecting the two regions Umbria and Marche, south of Monte Catria. Its upper area is covered with pasture lands, reaching a height of 1,200 and 1,400 m. The east side of Monte Nero, between 900 m. and the lower limit of pasture lands, is covered with beech-woods. Here, the pasture lands have secondary origins, it means that they have been obtained after deforestation procedures and you can easily find relevant plants typical of the flora in the region Marche. On the upper side of Monte Nero, pasture lands are rocky and discontinuous. Quite interesting for their preservation status, the beech-woods are enriched by a number of particular herbs in the underwood. This area can be reached along a road going from the village Belvedere (Comune di Fabriano) to Val Sorda (Comune di Gualdo Tadino).

MONTE CUCCO: MONTE LO SPICCHIO
The Monte Lo Spicchio reaches a height of 1,200 m. and is located on the massif of Monte Cucco at the border between the regions Umbria and Marche. The Area Floristica extends to the Passo della Porraia (931 m.) up to the peak of the mountain, including both the west and the north-east slope, covered by a beech-wood. The west slope is extremely open with some plants of holly (Ilex aquifolium) that can reach remarkable dimensions.

VALLE DELL'ACQUARELLA
The valley Valle dell'Acquarella consists in a narrow gorge, quite remarkable from the naturalist point of view, so much to be considered as an Area Floristica, where you can find also wild woods (Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana). Particularly rich is also the range of shrubs and herbs thriving in the underwood.

FOSSO DELLA MALFAIERA
It is a deep digged along the north-west slopes of Monte Linatro. Woods can be found between 500 and 370 m., for extensions of about 1 km. The base area is almost flat and follows a winding movement with small meanders. Located on the steep banks limiting the Fosso, there is a coppice. Quite close to the river there is a narrow strip of typical mesoigrophil plants. The woods preservation status is satisfying. Water and the limited area of this valley create a very cool microclimate particularly good for plants that can ordinarily be found at higher levels.