Situated between the mountains separating the Metelliana Valley from the Picentini Mountains , the Diecimare Regional Park represents one of the most precious green spaces in the province of Salerno, in the municipalities of Cava de’ Tirreni, Mercato San Severino, and Baronissi.
Within this valuable natural setting, stands the modern Diecimare Oasis Visitor Center , a facility dedicated to hospitality, environmental education, and the promotion of sustainable tourism.
Once managed as a WWF oasis, the area has undergone a profound transformation in recent years, leading to its rebirth as a reference center for the informed use of the territory .
The inauguration of the new center in 2025 marks a significant turning point in the history of environmental conservation in Campania.
Origins and establishment of the Diecimare Regional Park
Around the year 1000, the mountains of the Diecimare Park belonged to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Cava de’ Tirreni and the Municipality of Cava . Due to disputes that arose between the Monastery and the Municipality over the use of the park, the Royal Council decreed on March 23, 1580, that the Bishops should exercise their grazing rights, while the citizens of Cava were granted the civic right to collect firewood.
Around 1700, the inhabitants of the hamlet of Santa Lucia attempted to clear the existing forest to make the Diecimare Valley arable; this caused a landslide at the first floodwaters. The Decuriate ordered the immediate reforestation of the valley.
When in 1866 the real estate assets of the Ecclesiastical Institutions were transferred to the State, Diecimare also became entirely state property .
The Diecimare Regional Park was officially established in 1980 with Regional Law No. 45 of the Campania Region , with the aim of protecting an area of great landscape, naturalistic, and geological value.
The overall area covers approximately 444 hectares , distributed across the territories of Cava de’ Tirreni, Baronissi, and Mercato San Severino .
The toponym Diecimare has ancient origins and likely refers to the division of the territory into ten agricultural plots, once called mari, during the Middle Ages.
This area, located between the Lattari and Picentini Mountains , has always served as an ecological corridor, hosting highly biodiverse hill and mountain ecosystems.
In the 1990s, part of the park became a WWF Oasis , with educational and conservation purposes. Unfortunately, due to various fires and acts of vandalism, the area was abandoned. After a long period, the initiative was revived by local institutions, which, in 2025, inaugurated the new Oasi Diecimare Visitor Center , marking a significant revitalization of public use.
Geography and environmental characteristics
The Diecimare Natural Park extends across a geologically complex and fascinating area, characterized by the coexistence of limestone and dolomite, evidence of its ancient marine origins. The Monte Caruso formations are predominantly limestone, while the Forcella della Cava area features dolomite and dolomitic limestone.
This geological diversity determines a remarkable variety of soils and microclimates , which, in turn, support different types of habitats. Thus, we move from the Mediterranean scrubland of the driest areas to the beech and oak forests of the highest and coolest areas, with a mosaic of landscapes that change rapidly in the space of just a few hundred meters.
The altitude range, between 300 and 850 meters above sea level , also favors the presence of plant species belonging to different bioclimatic zones: from the lower Mediterranean to the lower mountain. This gives the park a first-rate botanical interest, so much so that it constitutes a true natural laboratory for the study of southern Apennine vegetation.
Flora: the plant wealth of Diecimare
The Diecimare Park is characterised by an extraordinary floral richness , the result of the variety of the substrate and the environmental conditions.
On the sunniest slopes, Mediterranean scrub thrives with holm oak ( Quercus ilex ), strawberry tree ( Arbutus unedo ), mastic tree ( Pistacia lentiscus ) and myrtle ( Myrtus communis ). In the transitional areas, however, mixed forests of downy oak ( Quercus pubescens ), hop hornbeam ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) and flowering ash ( Fraxinus ornus ) develop .
At higher altitudes, clusters of beech forests are found , relics of more extensive mountain ecosystems of bygone eras, giving the landscape a typically Apennine appearance. Herbaceous plants such as asphodel, cistus, thyme, and various wild orchids grow in the clearings and secondary meadows.
The seasonal cycle makes the park a place of constant transformation: spring offers an explosion of colors and scents, while autumn cloaks the woods in warm, evocative hues, attracting hikers and nature photographers from across the region.
Fauna and biodiversity
The diversity of environments is also reflected in the fauna .
The park is home to numerous species typical of the southern Apennines, including foxes, hedgehogs, weasels, martens, and hares.
Birds include the green woodpecker, the kestrel, the buzzard, and, in the rocky areas, the peregrine falcon. The wetter areas and smaller waterways are home to amphibians such as the tree frog and the Italian newt, while the clearings and edges of the woods teem with butterflies, beetles, and other pollinating insects, a sign of a still vital ecosystem.
The Diecimare Park is therefore configured as a natural refuge for local fauna, with a fundamental role in the ecological connection between the green areas of the Salerno area and the surrounding mountain ranges.
The Oasi Diecimare Visitor Center: the beating heart of the Park
After years of inactivity, the area underwent a structural and management redevelopment project , culminating in the inauguration, in October 2025, of the Oasi Diecimare Visitor Centre .
The new facility, located in Breccelle , is now managed by Parco degli Ulivi CTL di Lamberti Carmela & CSAS , in collaboration with local organizations and associations. It serves as a reference point for visitors, schools, organized groups, and tourists.
The Centre has:
- an information and reception point for visitors;
- rooms for teaching and conference activities ;
- a sensory garden and outdoor spaces for public use;
- Accessibility guaranteed for people with motor disabilities, thanks to the presence of elevators and adapted routes.
The opening hours, shown on the official website www.oasidiecimare.it , are open from Wednesday to Sunday (8:00–16:30) , with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Address: Località Breccelle, frazione Sant’Anna – 84013 Cava de’ Tirreni (SA)
Opening hours: Wednesday–Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (closed Monday and Tuesday)
Official website: www.oasidiecimare.it
Hiking and outdoor activities
The Diecimare Oasis is now an ideal starting point for trekking and slow tourism enthusiasts.
Several marked and signposted trails depart from the Visitor Center, including:
- Monte Caruso Trail
- Path of the Two Gulfs
- Path of the Woods
- The Woodcutter’s Itinerary
- Charcoal Burners’ Path
The activities are organized in collaboration with hiking associations and environmental guides.
Environmental education and sustainable tourism
One of the Visitor Center’s main goals is scientific and environmental outreach .
Through educational programs, workshops, and guided tours, the Diecimare Oasis promotes awareness of nature among students and families.
Among the most significant initiatives are:
- Educational workshops for schools
- Botany and Ornithology Workshop
- Sensory paths for children
- Thematic days on biodiversity and recycling
The proposed approach is experiential education , combining learning and active participation.
Sustainable tourism thus represents the key to combining environmental protection and economic development of the region.
How to reach the Diecimare Oasis
Location: Breccelle, Sant’Anna district – Cava de’ Tirreni (Salerno)
By car: A3 motorway exit “Cava de’ Tirreni”, then follow the signs for Sant’Anna and Breccelle.
By train: Cava de’ Tirreni station, with a connection by urban bus (BusItalia line no. 67).
By bus: Local lines from Cava de’ Tirreni town center.
The area has parking, picnic areas, and trails accessible to people with mobility disabilities.
Future prospects
The development prospects for the Diecimare Natural Park are promising.
Among the priorities identified by the management plan are:
- Strengthening the trail network with periodic maintenance
- Creation of thematic itineraries on geology and botany
- Collaboration with universities and research centers
- Implementation of a digital wildlife monitoring system
- Inclusion of the oasis in the slow tourism circuits of Campania , alongside paths such as the Via delle Acque and the Via dei Monti Lattari
These actions aim to consolidate the Diecimare Regional Park and the Diecimare Oasis Visitor Centre as a model of integrated management , where environmental conservation is accompanied by the economic and cultural valorisation of the territory.
Conclusion
The Diecimare Oasis and its Natural Park today represent a symbol of environmental and civic rebirth .
From a declining area to a center of reference for sustainability and education, Diecimare demonstrates that caring for nature can be a driver of cultural, touristic, and social development.
The challenge for the coming years will be to maintain this balance, ensuring effective and participatory management.
In an era of climate change and biodiversity loss, experiences like Diecimare remind us that protecting the land is an investment in the future, a duty to future generations, and an act of love for the land.
Sources and references
- www.oasidiecimare.it – Official website of the Visitor Center
- Campania Region, Regional Law No. 45/1980
- Wikipedia – Diecimare Natural Park
- Komoot, Wikiloc, AllTrails – Hiking platforms
- Municipality of Cava de’ Tirreni – Press releases for October/November 2025
