The Italian side of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain of the Alps, from Col de la Seigne up to Col Ferret. The site includes typical alpine habitats, especially glaciers (50% of the area) and rocky areas.
Key biodiversity
An important breeding site for five of the 10 species of the Eurasian high-montane biome, and for two gamebirds.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main threats are posed by tourism and land abandonment. There are thousands of visitors each year, putting strong pressure on such a fragile environment. The abandonment of grazing means that many grassland areas are reverting to scrub. The area is a proposed International Parc between Italy and France, and is a proposed Special Area for Conservation.
Protected areas
National None International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mont Blanc (Italian side). Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 28/09/2020.
