Community habitats and biodiversity in the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park. Woodland, rare species, endangered species and their conservation

Abstract

The Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park is an area of major natural interest in the region of Campania (southern Italy): it represents a protected area isolated from the main axis of the Campanian Apennines, including two sites of community importance (SCIs - ITA8020007 - ITA8020008) covering about 75% of the whole area. The present study aims to identify and describe the community habitats and forest biodiversity in the park, as well as to provide suggestions for their conservation. By a large survey carried out from March 2004 to October 2005, nine community-interest habitats were identified, five of which are priority habitats. Some 26 tree forest species and 971 other plant species including grasses and shrubs were also identified and classified, 14 of which are listed in the red data book of plants. As conservation of each species is strictly linked to the conservation of its habitat, on the basis of legislation in force at regional, national and EU levels, management guidelines were drawn up for the various habitat types and for the most endangered species in order to ensure biodiversity conservation.