The San Zeno Nature Path

This educational path was created with the idea of getting as many peoples as possible to come in contact with nature.

The Itinerary

Points of Access: information signs with a map of the itinerary are installed at Lamone, at the beginning of the trail, as also at Taverne, in front of the Railroad Station.

Time needed to cover the itinerary: an hour and a half, proceeding at a normal pace, plus observation time.

Trail length: about 3,5 Km.

Stations: as you go along the trail you’ll discover 10 “stations” that’ll guide you through the observation of the environmental characteristics.

Panoramic points: the top of the San Zeno hill and station Nr.6 provide to great panoramic points.

The “stations”

1. At this station, you’ll notice that the wood’s vegetation is distributed in four layers: a – trees, b – shrubs, c – grass and plants, d – moss and lichens. (…)

2. This station is characterized by the presence of many larches, typically alpine trees that we can even find our woods in isolated groups (…)

3. The main characteristic of this station is the marked presence of outcrops indicating arid soil conditions and lack of soil (…)

4. This Station is characterized by an abandoned chestnut copse woods. This is another example of man’s intervention on nature. But what are the consequences? (…)

5. In contrast to station 4, this woods has undergone recent human intervention. There are several advantages in this case, among which the development of a herbaceous layer of plants. (…)

6. From this balcony overlooking Lake Origlio, it is possible to observe the peaks that emerged from the glaciers during the Ice Age on the horizon. These are the Denti della Vecchia, Boglia, Sighignola, and Mount Generoso peaks. (…)

7. You can observe extreme life conditions in a rocky environment.(…)

8. This station is characterized by a mixed broad leaf woods. A healthy woods is an association of different vegetables in harmony with each other, having the same life requirements. A good balance between the different species favours the proliferation of a rich variety of species. (…)

9. This chestnut woods didn’t grow spontaneously but was planted. Throughout history and up to the Second World War many communities nourished themselves off the fruit of these trees (…)

10. The wood’s protective function: a – thanks to the spongy nature of the soil, water is withheld thus avoiding dangerous landslides, b – tree trunks protect the underlying undergrowth from the fall of material, c – the woods absorbs the noise from roads and the railroad. (…)

A detailed brochure is available at the Lugano Turismo office in both Italian and German.