Beech forest

The European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a deciduous tree that can reach significant sizes; its bark is grey, smooth, and compact; the leaves are elliptical, with a wavy edge and a distinctive shiny appearance.

It is a demanding plant that cannot tolerate deficiencies or excesses of temperature, water, and light; it does not withstand temperature fluctuations and requires a constant, but not excessive, water availability, as well as cool and deep soils.

The Beech forest grows where these conditions are found, usually between 700 and 1600 meters in altitude, descending lower only where fog stagnation ensures sufficient humidity and where the species has not yet been replaced by other species, such as chestnut; there can be "pure" forests, composed only of beech trees, or "mixed" forests interspersed with a large number of other tree species, especially white fir or larch.

Within the beech forest, patches of pioneer plants such as birch (Betula pendula), aspen (Populus tremula), hazel (Corylus avellana), and laburnum (Laburnum alpinum) can be found colonizing deforested areas.
On the ground covered by a thick layer of humus and dead leaves, wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), liverwort (Hepatica nobilis), cranesbill (Geranium nodosum), and purple lettuce (Prenanthes purpurea) thrive. Many understory herbs have roundish leaf blades or a rather wide surface, held parallel to the ground surface to make the most of the little sunlight filtering through the dense canopy of beech trees.

Wildlife in Beech Forests

The most commonly encountered wildlife in beech forests is typical of mountain forests. Among mammals, besides ungulates (deer, roe deer, and wild boar), wolves (Canis lupus), beech martens (Martes foina), pine martens (Martes martes), and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) move undisturbed in these woods, the latter being fond of the beech nuts produced annually by the beech trees. The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) willingly nests in beech forests, along with the short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europea), the wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), and many other birds.

But it is at ground level that the true hidden biodiversity of beech forests lies, with millions of invertebrates belonging to hundreds of different species that make up a real ecosystem: from decomposers like earthworms and snails, to consumers of dead wood, such as longhorn beetles, and to actual predators like ground beetles and spiders. This bustling life is highly appreciated by fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) that find a great restaurant in the beech forest!

Beech Forests in the Cozie Alps Parks

In the Susa and Chisone valleys, there are rather clear boundaries beyond which beech forests do not grow due to climatic conditions with a more continental character, characterized by more pronounced temperature fluctuations and lower precipitation. Specifically, downstream from Fenestrelle and Exilles, the beech forest finds a suitable area along slopes predominantly facing north with a marked presence of humidity. Upstream, on the same slopes, it is replaced by conifers, particularly larch or red fir.

In general, the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps do not have particularly suitable territories for the development of beech forests.