The Val Grande National Park was established in the province of Verbania to preserve the largest wilderness area in the Alps and in Italy, and includes the entire Val Grande, Val Pogallo and part of the valleys Vigezzo, Cannobina, Ossola and Intrasca. It is a real kingdome of “wild nature”, surrounded by silence, covered with thick forests and metamorphic rocks on which, over time, have shaped the reliefs at low altitude areas become ideal for human settlement. The rich vegetation and the variety of blooms, which, thanks to the thermal influence of the Lake Maggiore, represent one of the biggest attractions of the park. In the lower Val Grande predominate deciduous forests with a predominance of the chestnut, while the beech is the most common tree species of Val Grande. They are also widespread conifer woods, with spruce and white spruce. At higher altitudes they meet shrubs, alpine meadows and the environment rocky vegetation. As for the fauna, among the birds there are the golden eagle, the peregrine falcon, the black grouse, the grouse, the eagle owl and many species of woodpeckers, including the black woodpecker. Among the mammals we find the chamois and roe deers, as well as deers, foxes, weasels, martens, badgers and weasels. Thanks to the many streams, there are also numerous fish species like the brown trout and the bullhead. The Valley is also known for the presence of vipers.