Subjects
Subjects
The Linasia Mountain Garden was established in 1989 by the Sardinian Forest Authority with the intention of creating a scientific and educational center for the conservation and study of endemic Sardinian flora. The chosen area, in Case Marganai, is located within the Marganai state forest, a context that for decades had been strongly marked by mining activities related to the extraction of lead and zinc. The decision to allocate this portion of the territory as a botanical garden therefore had a clear strategic value: to transform an exploited and partially degraded landscape into a place of environmental protection and education. The project took shape in the early nineties and opened to the public in 1992. The plant was designed to house the species characteristic of the mountain environments of Sulcis-Iglesiente and the Linas Massif, with particular attention to rare and endangered endemic species. A significant aspect was the recovery of pre-existing mining buildings, converted into service and educational facilities: the so-called “Casa Natura” was used as a museum space and visitor center, other rooms used as a conference room and guesthouse. This operation marked the continuity between industrial memory and new cultural function, making the garden not only a place for botanical exhibition, but also a laboratory for interpreting the landscape. The area, of about 9,000 m², is divided into different sectors that reproduce the typical environments of the Linas and Marganai massifs, with particular attention to Mediterranean mountain vegetation and rupicular, wooded and riparian habitats. There are collections of more than 60 endemic Sardinian species, together with about 20 non-native species introduced for educational and comparative purposes. The tour takes place along paths and pitches with thematic flower beds, enriched with panels and botanical tags that illustrate the species present and their ecological peculiarities. The complex is integrated into the surrounding landscape and constitutes a reference point for scientific research, educational activities and sustainable tourism. The collections are distributed in thematic flower beds that mainly house species endemic to Sardinia and the Mediterranean region, combined with a limited number of native species introduced for educational and comparative purposes. The overall physiognomy is characterized by the alternation of open areas with low-density herbaceous and shrub vegetation and more closed areas, defined by trees and shrubs that recall the woods and the Mediterranean mountain scrub. There are clusters that reconstruct rupicular habitats, sectors dedicated to riparian vegetation and spaces with isolated specimens that act as reference elements. The arrangement of the plants is designed to guarantee the visitor an immediate comparison between similar species and to promote the understanding of the different ecological contexts.
Aspects of interest
The Linasia Mountain Garden is of particular interest as the only example in Sardinia of a mountain botanic garden dedicated to local endemic species. The combination of scientific and educational purposes, the recovery of mining buildings and the integration with the Marganai forest make it a significant case of cultural reuse of the landscape, with a strong naturalistic, educational and symbolic value.
Structure category: natural monument
Content type:
Giardino
Park or garden
Orto botanico
Usability: Open
Province: Sulcis Iglesiente
Common: Iglesias
Macro Territorial Area: South Sardinia
POSTAL CODE: 09016
Address: località Case Marganai
Telephone: +39 070 9619 000 +39 366 5754418
E-mail: sardegnaforeste@forestas.it
Information on tickets and access: For information regarding the possibility of visiting the Linasia Mountain Garden, you can contact the Sardegna Foreste agency by phone or email. For more information, we recommend that you visit the dedicated web page on the “Sardegna Foreste” website.
Access mode: Free
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