Passy National Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Passy National Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
located on the face of the Aiguilles Rouges
and Mont Blanc mountain ranges
, in the middle of the Arve
valley, in the Haute-Savoie
metropolitan department of France
.
The 1717 hectares (4,242.8 acre) have been protected since 1980; the reserve assures a continuous link of protected area
s between the Sixt-Passy National Nature Reserve and the Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve
.
The natural history
of the reserve mirrors that of the surrounding mountains. The young rock cliff
s of the Fiz mountain range dominate the former Pormenaz mountain range. The tectonic activity
of the Alps continues to bring the Fiz rock cliffs closer to the silicious rocks of the Pormenaz.
This mineralogical history caused a great diversity of land areas such as meadow
s, heaths
, and wetland
s, which are inhabited by numerous species such as eagle
s and Alpine Ibex
es.
This landscape testifies to the geologic history of the area: the 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) of vertical walls of the calcareous
cliffs of the Fiz, a marvel of nature, tell the 90 million year shared history of the oceans and the Alps
.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
located on the face of the Aiguilles Rouges
Aiguilles Rouges
The Aiguilles Rouges are a crystalline mountainous massif of the French Prealps, opposite the Mont Blanc massif. The color of the iron rich gneiss mountains gives the range its name. The highest summit is the Aiguille du Belvédère at...
and Mont Blanc mountain ranges
Mont Blanc Massif
The Mont Blanc massif is a mountain range in the western Alps. It is named after Mont Blanc, at 4,810.45 m the highest summit of the Alps. It is located in France , Italy , and Switzerland...
, in the middle of the Arve
Arve
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and in Switzerland...
valley, in the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
metropolitan department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The 1717 hectares (4,242.8 acre) have been protected since 1980; the reserve assures a continuous link of protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s between the Sixt-Passy National Nature Reserve and the Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve
Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve
The Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve is a nature reserve located in the Aiguilles Rouges mountain range in the Haute-Savoie department in southeastern France.-History:...
.
The natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
of the reserve mirrors that of the surrounding mountains. The young rock cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s of the Fiz mountain range dominate the former Pormenaz mountain range. The tectonic activity
Tectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
of the Alps continues to bring the Fiz rock cliffs closer to the silicious rocks of the Pormenaz.
This mineralogical history caused a great diversity of land areas such as meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s, heaths
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s, which are inhabited by numerous species such as eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s and Alpine Ibex
Alpine Ibex
The Alpine ibex, , is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. In its habitat region, the species is known as bouquetin , steinbock , and stambecco ....
es.
This landscape testifies to the geologic history of the area: the 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) of vertical walls of the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
cliffs of the Fiz, a marvel of nature, tell the 90 million year shared history of the oceans and the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
.