The Bosco di Montalto Regional Reserve is located a few kilometers from Pieve Santo Stefano and protects the entire northern slope of Mount Montalto (1059m). This steep slope, that is the western offshoot of the Alpe della Luna ridge, is covered with woods that have been preserved to this day thanks to the rugged morphology of the relief.
Inside the reserve there are beech woods and mixed woods of maple, lime, Turkey oak and hornbeam, an environment of priority conservational interest according to the Community Habitat Directive 90/43 / EEC, called habitat Tilio-Acerion. In the undergrowth and clearings there are species of flora that are not common in Tuscany such as the martagon lily, red lilies, and the Arisarum proboscideum).
As for fauna, the green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker are the most characteristic species of the reserve, alongside small birds of prey and other bird species; mammals include roe deer, wild boar, porcupine and badger.
To preserve the fragility of this ecosystem, visits are permitted only when accompanied by authorized guides (information at the Sansepolcro Tourist Office).
