Contrafforte Pliocenico Nature Reserve

The Riserva Naturale del Contrafforte Pliocenico (Pliocene Spur Nature Reserve) is a Site of Community Importance and a special protection area extending 15 km not far from Bologna. Situated between four rivers - Setta, Savena, Zena and Idice - and their valleys, the reserve became a protected natural area in 2006.

Its fascinating landscapes are characterised by rocky sandstone outcrops dating back to the Pliocene period, roughly between 5 and 2 million years ago. Since it is a protected area, it is possible to visit it but it is necessary to respect the CAI paths that cross it, avoiding any deviation from the marked routes.

Among the most important mountains that stand out in the Pliocene Spur Nature Reserve are Monte Adone, Monte delle Formiche, Monte Mario, Rocca di Badolo and Monte del Frate.

In terms of flora and fauna, the reserve is an ideal refuge for many wild species typical of the Apennines. Walking along its paths, it is therefore not uncommon to come across local species of falcon and other native birds.

The origin of the reserve

The rocky outcrops of the Contrafforte Pliocenico originate from the slow sedimentation of sand and gravel transported by Apennine torrents over millions of years, towards what is presumed to have been a marine gulf. This is why the area is covered with marine fossils in an excellent state of preservation, which at the time were on the bottom of the gulf itself.

At that time, the gulf stretched over a large part of today's Apennines of Bologna. As it often happens, in the course of time the average water level went through cycles of rising and falling, which consequently led to numerous phases of sedimentation, still recognisable today in the outcropping rocks.

Today, the sediments rise to a height of more than 600 metres above sea level and, due to the very long exposure to weathering, have a very distinctive shape.

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