Description
The territory
It presents a steep and articulated morphology, characterised by rocky outcrops and steep slopes that give the valley a wild and scarcely man-made appearance. From a geological point of view, calcareous-dolomitic formations from the Triassic and Jurassic eras predominate, while the soils are often poorly developed at higher altitudes. The climate lies between pre-Alpine and continental, with precipitation concentrated in the intermediate seasons.
Forest environments
The altitudinal variety results in a considerable diversity of forest environments. At lower altitudes there are silver fir and beech woods, which gradually give way to Scots pine and beech forests. Climbing further up, one encounters spruce and larch woods, while in the summit areas mugo pine forests with heather and rhododendron prevail.
The current forest structure is the result of both natural factors and past utilisation: until the mid 20th century, the forest was intensively exploited for timber. Even today, remains of the cableways and steel ropes used for logging can be seen along some of the paths.
History
Within the forest there are few man-made elements. The most significant are the ruins of Castel San Pietro, located on a rocky spur just outside the boundaries of the state property. It was built by the powerful Thun family; it served as an observation point along the ancient 'via dei Reti' that connected Vigo di Ton, the lower Anaunia and Cortaccia in the Adige Valley.
A military garrison garrisoned the castle until the 17th century when it was decided to abandon it as traders and wayfarers used the more comfortable road along the valley floor, which was made safe at that time.
The small forest area was purchased by the Trentino Alto Adige Region in 1963 and subsequently ceded to the Trentino Provincial Government.
The area also preserves some limestone, ancient kilns used for the production of lime, evidence of traditional activities linked to the use of local resources.
Accessibility and hiking trails
Access by road: once you reach the centre of Vigo di Ton (Val di Non), from the centre of the village continue in an E direction until you see signs of the paths that lead towards Castel San Pietro. Park near the athletics field.
The forest is little accessible, as the forest road stops at the edge of the area and does not cross its interior. It is mainly accessible through a number of SAT trails, which run through the lower and summit areas of the area. Some of these routes are also part of the cultural and naturalistic project 'Routes of Anaunia'.
Naturalistic value and fauna monitoring
In 2025 a fauna study was carried out on vertebrate terrestrial fauna, with the aim of improving the naturalistic knowledge of the area and providing indications for forest management. The survey covered amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, using various monitoring techniques including listening stations for birdlife, photo traps for mammals and acoustic recordings for bats.
On the whole, the forest was found to be home to a diversified fauna, rich in entities, some of which are of high conservation but also scientific value, such as the barbastello, a bat included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), whose dependence on mature and undisturbed forests makes it a rare species in Trentino, the brown bear, the wolf, the golden eagle, the black grouse and the partridge.
The results of the study contribute to defining the picture of forest biodiversity and provide a scientific basis for orienting future conservation and management strategies, with particular attention to the protection of forest habitats and the most sensitive species.
"Data from the Vertebrate fauna survey (2025) by Dr Michele Caldonazzi and Dr Claudio Torboli of Albatros S.r.l. on behalf of Aprofod".
In the Forest informed
The management of the Forest is entrusted to the Provincial Forest Agency - Adige Sector
