Bosco di Monte Vairano

Monte Vairano extends in the municipalities of Campobasso and Busso, the highest point reaches 998 m.s.l.m., the area is covered by a thick coppice vegetation and some reforested areas. The most present species is the Cerro matricinato (important economic element of the area for its high productivity), the Roverella, the Farnetto, the Orniello, the Carpino nero, the Castagno, the Ginepro; the Quercia spinosa. The wide reforestations are constituted by the Mediterranean Pine and Cypress, there is also the sporadic presence of rare species such as the Silver Fir and the Larch, which contribute to make the landscape more articulated and increase the interest for a forest of great biological value. Various is the shrubby and herbaceous vegetation, there are the white Cysts and the Rose, the Eliantemo, the Helichrysum and the Thyme. In the lower band there is the Broom and the Dog Rose. Very important from the historical point of view, in Samnite times the area was inhabited by an important settlement, by the Samnites was called "Akudunnia", the first traces date back to the sixth century BC, while the mighty polygonal walls and the three gates are dated in the fourth century BC. The settlement was destroyed as a result of the "Social War" (91-88 BC).
The area was repopulated by the Longobards and the Normans, there are traces of an ancient castle (probably dating back to the 15th century) and of a church. Recently, Monte Vairano has been valorized by the birth of an archaeological-naturalistic park, equipped with receptive, cultural and didactic, expositive and sportive structures, in order to satisfy all the needs of the possible users.