Nature

Scontrone is surrounded by a large geographical range and the diverse flora and fauna that’s typical of mountainous areas; that rapid transition from fertile lowlands to heady highland tundra allows one to see lots of diverse land formations and animal and plant species in a relatively short time.
The low-lying grasslands of the Sangro River flood plain crawls into the gentle slopes of the rolling foothills,which quickly intensify into the dramatic peaks of Monte Greco - the dominating mountain range of the valley. In this territory there are places of organic beauty; true areas of wilderness where nature is free to run its course. Locals refer to this area as “La Foce,” or “The Source”.

Eight miles upriver from Scontrone, The Sangro is dammed to form the beautiful Barrea Lake, and the picturesque hilltown of Barrea is often called “Little Switzerland,” for it’s dramatic peaks reflecting in the tranquil waters of the lake below. In the 8 miles between Barrea and Scontrone, the Sangro winds through a deep gorge. The smooth rocky walls are covered with hanging canopies of rich vegetation typical to the Mediterranean climate.

Flora

Concurrent with the varying shapes and colors of the territory, the forests contribute in a decisive manner to the picturesque landscape. The area is primarilypopulated with Turkey oak, or “Cero” as they are referred to in Italian, and European Beech trees or “Faggio”. The Turkey oak is a fast-growing deciduous oak that has dark furrowed bark and 4-inch irregularly lobed leaves, shiny green above and lighter below, while the European Beech tree has fern-like summer foliage that is a glossy, dark green and a light gray, smooth bark. Autumn is the best season to appreciate the colorful foliage of these dedicious trees.

Fauna

In Scontrone, if you know where to look and with a little luck, you can see all the main species of mammals, and rare species of migratory birds. Large mammals like wild boar and deer, and large predators like wolves and brown bears, the true king of the Abruzzian mountains that is usually seen in the autumn when there is a greater availability of food. In the forests you can follow fox tracks and glimpse small weasels, look up in the tree branches for large birds of prey like the buzzard or the astore, and look skyward to see the real eagle swooping down to hunt prey. In Autumn and Spring is Scontrone is a bird-lovers delight, a central point in the paths of many migratory birds, like herons, folaghe, german, wtc, to the rarest like the real kite, l’albanella, and the stork.