NATURE
Unique environments and landscapes
The lakes of the Rimonta are a naturalistic site at the convergence of the Rimonta stream with the Piave. The starting point is from the small square of Bardiès, right in front of the church of Saint Anthony the Great and, with a ring of about 2.5 km, the route crosses a great variety of ecological niches – wetlands, xerophyte woods (dry woods), strips of willow woods, white alder formations and open spaces – all these being ideal habitats for various species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
At the beginning of the path, on the right, one can visit an ancient “calchèra”, i.e. a lime kiln. Along the path the visitor will come across interesting and evocative works by local artists, which give life to the “Rimontarte” artistic itinerary.
THE DOLOMITI BELLUNESI NATIONAL PARK
The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park was officially established in April 1990. It has an area of 77500 acres inclusive of the central southern area of the province of Belluno. Not only is it a biodiversity heritage but also a protected area of great naturalistic value endowed with amazing, unique landscapes in which you will find valleys and mountain chains among the most rugged and isolated of the Dolomites.
The Park area hosts a great variety of rare vegetation species some of which endemic. Chamoix, roe deer, red deer, mouflon, ten golden eagle couples and a lot of other wild life find the adequate conditions to live and reproduce in the Park area. In recent years the wolf is a stable presence and there are bears, lynx and wildcats sightings.
The Park is separated by a network of valleys shaped by glaciers and creeks.
Each valley is the natural door to extraordinary places, two of which are easily reachable even by bike starting from the Val Belluna Ring track: the Valle del Mis and the Val Canzoi two of our daily detours in the section “Oltre l’anello”.
THE RIVER PIAVE
Gathering the waters of its many tributaries, the Piave was once a rough and majestic river. An important water way the zattieri used to carry timber and goods bound to Venice. After the First World War it was considered sacred for our Country due to the historic events which took place along its banks.
Nowadays it is no longer the same river due to the hydroelectric exploitation, the plantation irrigation and the gravel mining which have modified its course. Notwithstanding it keeps on flowing, fast and frothing through the Comelico and Cadore valleys to calm down into large, gravelled bights in Val Belluna. With its wide riverbed, its dry and damp areas it represents one of the most important natural elements of the surrounding landscape.
The presence of some river ecosystems, which host inside vegetal as well as animal communities typical of these environments, underlines the very important contribution given to the biodiversity of the Val Belluna by the river Piave. Among these Fontane di Nogarè, a protected environment in the suburbs of Belluno and the lake of Busche.
