Cilento and Vallo di Diano Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 1997, in Italy. The Cilento and Vallo di Diano biosphere reserve is in south-central Italy, bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is characterised by low dolomite mountains with typical karst features such as sinkholes and caves. The coastline comprises cliffs, bays and sandy beaches, with sea caves and freshwater springs. Mediterranean sclerophyll vegetation is divided into many habitats according to altitude, ranging from dry coastal garrigue to holm oak woodlands, mixed forests of oak, hornbeam and alder, natural stands of European beech, and high-altitude grasslands. The fauna is notable for its birds, especially birds of prey. The cultural heritage is particularly rich, with traces of human occupation dating to Palaeolithic times and archaeological and historic vestiges of a succession of civilisations.