Monte Mauro e la Selva di Montefalcone

Monte Mauro and Selva di Montefalcone nel Sannio is an important Site of Community Interest (S.I.C.), 500 hectares of forest area consisting mainly of turkey oaks and beech trees. The area lies between the municipalities of Montefalcone nel Sannio and Castelmauro, in the province of Campobasso, on the border between Abruzzo and Molise.
The site in question also falls entirely within the Special Protection Area (SPA), Lago di Guardialfiera-Foce del Biferno.
The S.I.C. area includes Monte Mauro (1,025 m.a.s.l.), one of the highest peaks of the Monti dei Frentani and the Abruzzo-Molise sub-Apennines, Monte Rotondo (732 m.a.s.l.) and other minor hills. Excluded from the SCI perimeter are Monte la Rocchetta (940 m.a.s.l.) and Colle Dritto (952 m.a.s.l.), which, however, fall entirely within the above-mentioned SPA. In the Vallone della Selva and Vallone della Botte, which cross the Montefalcone forest, we can find the precious spotted salamander. The fauna present is very important from a conservation point of view, in particular: black kite, red kite, short-toed eagle, cuckoo hawk, nightjar, woodlark and little shrike.
As far as flora is concerned, among the numerous species of Community interest present, we would like to mention: the greater fusarium, the greater ash tree, the local lime tree and the lesser balsam rose.