The Stelvio National Park with its 135.000 hectares of land was instituted in 1935 and is the largest protected area in Italy: it is a true refuge for Alpine Nature. It extends across the Provinces of Sondrio, Bolzano and Trento, covering an extremely varied terrain that goes from 650 metres to the Ortles' almost 4000 metres. There are more than 110 glaciers within the Park, the largest one being the Forni, in Valfurva. However, the considerable variety of ecosystems is the greatest reason for the immense charm of this area full of springs and pine forests, enlivened by the wide valleys full of streams and small lakes.
There are numerous fauna species which have their habitat in the Park: they vary from the large ungulates - deer, roe deer, chamois and ibex - to the foxes, stoats, marmots, squirrels and hares. The presence of ornithological species that are not easily seen elsewhere merits a special mention: the golden eagle, the kestrel, the eagle owl
and above all, the majestic gipeto, a unique specimen of vulture that still lives in the Alps and can be recognised by its considerable size which makes it the largest bird in the Alps (it reaches a lenght of 115 cm. with a wingspan of 285 cm.). Then there are more than 2000 protected species of flowers that can be admired in the Park. There are almost 250 km. of nature trails including valley and higher pathways, making Alta Valtellina an ideal place for excursions, either on foot or on bicycles. It is not a coincidence that another locality in Valtellina, Livigno, hosted the World Mountain Bike Championship in the summer of 2005.
This sport began in the nineties and involves athletes running up the mountains; into this context, as the event is a good example of modern ecologism that shuns ideological temptations and instead, tries to find a balance between safeguarding the environmental resources and planning sustainable development that does not alter Nature's delicate equilibrium. Behind this challenge there is the shared knowledge that making the most of the Alpine environment is a essential condition for ensuring the future of the mountains and their communities.
