Riserva Naturale Regionale Bosco delle Pianelle

The Bosco delle Pianelle Regional Nature Reserve preserves woodland and karst ravines in the territory of Martina Franca. Holm oak, Mediterranean scrub and cooler valley habitats give the landscape a variety that contrasts with the surrounding cultivated plateau.

Why it matters

The woods are both a natural habitat and part of a long-used rural landscape. Their ecological value is inseparable from a history of communal resources, grazing, fuel gathering and traditional production.

What to notice

The gravine delle Pianelle and del Vuolo create contrasting slopes and valley floors. Cooler conditions within the ravines support vegetation different from the more exposed plateau. Dry-stone walls, cisterns and traces of charcoal and lime production add evidence of human work within the woodland.

Context and history

The Pianelle formed part of the historic woodland resources associated with Martina Franca. Successive uses left structures and place names that record that relationship. Establishment of the regional reserve in 2002 added a conservation framework to a landscape already shaped by centuries of interaction between communities and forest.