Generally stable adult populations on poor, acidic and not very productive substrates, mainly composed by sessile oak (dominant species) and predominantly accompanied by chestnut but also by other broadleaf trees. It is also important to note the decay of several oaks probably induced by drought and, later, by secondary fungal infections.
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum typicum
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum festucetosum variae
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum vaccinetosum
TREE VEGETATION AND FOREST FORMATIONS
Until the 60s of the twentieth century, the exploitation of the Maia Forest was intense, the anthropic pressure was important and consequently the forests were generally young and with a limited woodiness rate. Later on, the abandonment of the agricultural activity after the 60s and the ending of the forest exploitation after the creation of the Maia Forest Park in the 90s, allowed the arboreal vegetation to regain a good part of the territory and to evolve in a natural way, partly approaching the structural characteristics and composition of the forest at the last stage of its natural succession (climax forest).
Nowadays, forests are generally characterized by hillside forests which are mostly natural and of great landscape value. The heterogeneous morphology of the territory has favored the formation of a very diversified forest complex at the level of vertical and horizontal structure, distribution of age classes, composition, mixture and presence of elements of great landscape and naturalistic value such as stone blocks, swamps, glades, dead wood, gorges and water courses. The Maia Forest is located in the stationary region defined as “southern boundary alps with sporadic spruce”, it is situated in the hilly altitudinal zonation, and it is characterized by the following main forest formations: oaks forests, mixed deciduous forests, chestnut coppices, alders forests, pioneer forests and plantations.
Oaks forests
Mixed deciduous forests
Adult and juvenile (rarely mature) populations generally stable on moderately rich and productive substrates, composed primarily of chestnut (often dominant), linden, oak, wild cherry, sycamore maple, Norway maple, ash, black alder, birch, and beech.
Luzulo niveae-Tilietum
Arunco-Fraxinetum cyclaminetosum
Arunco-Fraxinetum castanosum
Cruciato glabrae-Quercetum castanosum var. acida
Cruciato glabrae-Quercetum castanosum var. basifilia
Chestnut coppices
Chestnut coppices-dominated populations, once managed through simple coppicing. These are off-cycle populations, poorly managed for many decades, with an important presence of ink disease and chestnut gall wasp.
Arunco-Fraxinetum vaccinetosum
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum castanetosum
Castagneto oligotrofo di transizione
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum vaccinetosum
Alder populations
Rare and valuable populations with alternating water regime, dominated by black alders and ash trees, located on wetlands along small streams.
Carici remotae-Fraxinetum
Osmundo-Alnetum
Pioneer forests
Rupicolous heaths distinguished by downy oak and sessile oak, but also some stands of birch or other heliophilous species that have developed on abandoned agricultural land or in ruderal areas.
Corylo - Betuletum
Phyteumo betonicifoliae-Quercetum festucetosum variae
Plantations
Adult or mature anthropogenic stands generally stable and dominated by Northern red oak, Eastern white pine, and European red pine. Plantations were planted between 1892 and 1897.
OBJECTIVES
Naturalistic
To safeguard forest types and protect their evolutionary dynamics and ecological linkage function, to conserve the genetic heritage (sessile oak), to safeguard and promote ecological diversity and rare and threatened animal, fungal and plant species.
Recreational
Enhance an area with remarkable naturalistic and landscape contents, making people discover the regenerative effect of the uncontaminated forest on man.
Educational
Promote environmental education: raise awareness of the values of nature and promote understanding of the natural evolution of forest environments.
Scientific
Monitor the natural evolution of forest ecosystems, understand the dynamics of spontaneous development of the forest in order to refine methods and techniques of silvicultural management, especially in protection forests.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Denomination
Forest Reserve Bosco di Maia
Promoter
Patriziato di Losone
Year of institution
2020 (since 1998 Natural Park at the level of the land-use plan thanks to the intuition of the forestry engineer, Dr. Roberto Buffi.)
Protected area
100 ha
Conditions of ownership
The protected area is entirely owned by the Patriziato di Losone.
Typology
Forest Reserve according to the “Concept for the creation of forest reserves in the Canton of Ticino”.
Management
The forest area is left entirely to natural evolution with the exception of interventions for naturalistic purposes and for safety cuts along the riverbeds and hiking trails.
GEOLOGY, PEDOLOGY AND MORPHOLOGY
The Municipality of Losone is characterized by a hilly territory situated close to the alluvial plains of the Melezza and Maggia rivers. The landscape, visibly modelled by glaciers, offers an exceptional richness of forms, from the smooth rocky bumps to the stony grounds, from the waterlogged hollows to the slopes with the most varied conformations, interspersed by the Brima, Ortighee and Segna watercourses.
The geology is complex, reflecting a very articulated tectonic situation; the territory of Losone is crossed by the Periadriatic Seam. Most of the area is characterized by several gneisses as well as, in lesser proportion, by morainic coat. The soils reflect the very heterogeneous morphology and are therefore diversified; one can find shallow and not very productive soils as well as deep and productive ones.
CLIMATE
Losone (238 m a.s.l.) enjoys a typical Insubric climate. The main meteorological influences come from the south, which is reflected above all in the precipitation and temperature regime. The vegetative period lasts 7 to 8 months (end of March to mid-November). The precipitations are abundant and particularly intense during the vegetative period, while winters tend to be rather dry and therefore favourable to the development of fires.
Temperatures
Yearly average in Losone: 12 – 13 °C (temperatures should be corrected by 0,6 °C every 100 m of altitude difference)
Rainfall
Average annual rainfall: 2000 – 2200 mm