The Giants of Sila Nature Reserve

Majestic and imposing guardians of a thousand-year history. They are the giants of the Fallistro Biogenetic Nature Reserve, an extraordinary place within the Sila National Park, where nature is unspoilt and the air pure.

These over 100-year-old larch pines are called ‘’giants‘’ because of their height, as many as 58 enormous trees (four of which are on the ground) that have grown so tall that their trunks form a perfect natural colonnade. It is an incredible experience to look at them from below, because they rise to a height of 45 metres and can be about two metres in diameter. The over 100-year-old forest in the Biogenetic Nature Reserve is a protected property of the Italian Environmental Fund, which manages visitor admissions and guided tours. 

The characteristics of this reserve make it a precious testimony to the immense wealth of the Sila plateau, where once larch trees abounded, while today the 350-year-old Giants of Fallistro are unique specimens in Europe. The history of this forest of over 100-year-old trees dates back to the 17th century, when the Mollo barons, owners of the nearby Casino, planted larch pines and sycamore maples. For centuries, a much sought-after flammable resin was extracted from the trunks. This exploitation endangered the health of the trees, so much so that the Government of Naples had to intervene to limit felling. With the Second World War, the land was expropriated and then reintegrated into the heritage of the Ex Azienda di Stato per le Foreste Demaniali, which, together with the Mollo family, promoted the establishment of the current Nature Reserve to study and protect this historical-natural heritage.

Walking in the presence of these silent giants is an experience of great emotional impact. You can feel all the sacredness of a place enveloped in muffled silence, broken only by the noises that remind you that the forest is teeming with life and that the majestic larch pines, more than a hundred years old, are home to dozens of species of birds, such as buzzards, kestrels, red woodpeckers, black woodpeckers and green woodpeckers. Walking through the Reserve, one can come across the Calabrian black squirrel and the Apennine fox.

The Nature Reserve is located at an altitude of about 1400 metres, five kilometres from Camigliatello Silano. Entrance is free for FAI members, while for other visitors the cost is €6 (reduced for children, students and families). The visit, which lasts about an hour, is along an obligatory route that allows visitors to admire the majesty of the 58 laricio pine trees, four of which are on the ground. Admission is Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m., from April to November.

The route is accompanied by a fence that allows one to observe all the Giants and to enjoy the colours and sounds of the forest. The Giants are indicated by signs and plaques indicating their height and diameter. Fallen trees are part of the route, over which a small bridge has been built to allow one to pass them and continue the hike.