Sweet chestnuts of the Piacenza Apennines

The chestnut woods that grow on the Piacenza Apennines were created by man, who planted them as a source of food.
The old sweet chestnut forests of the Nure Valley are found mostly in the areas of Cattaragna and Rigolo. They are very important for the wild fauna as they are now among the few woods containing large trees full of holes and cracks, particularly sought after by the many animals that live in the woods.
Among the most characteristic of these "hole depending" creatures are nuthatches, woodpeckers, tits, treecreepers and collared flycatchers.
The treecreepers have such a close relationship with the old sweet chestnuts that practically they are found only in these woods. Actually, these birds are able to dig out their own holes in the wood, like the nuthatch.