The Santa
Ninfa Grotta nature reserve was instituted by the Sicilian Region in 1995 and its management was entrusted to Legambiente Sicilia,
which deals with the tutelage and valorisation of the site, scientific research
and enjoyment of nature, and
environmental education. The territory of the reserve, which is located 2.5
km from the village
of Santa Ninfa, has been
divided into two areas with different peculiarities:
§Zone
A, comprising the hypogean parts of the Grotta;
§Zone
B, comprising the Biviere
Valley corresponding to
the basin feeding the cave.
The Santa
Ninfa nature reserve lies within the bigger Site of Importance to the Community
called the “Complex of the Santa Ninfa and Gibellina Mountains
and Santa Ninfa Grotta”, set up in 1998 for the presence of various natural habitats
and species, in accordance with the EEC 92/43 Habitat directive. The protected
area, which has a surface area of about 140 hectares, lies in
the territory of Santa
Ninfa and neighbouring Gibellina (both places are in Trapani province). At
first sight the territory does not seem to contain any spectacular beauties.
However, a closer look reveals an incredible number of beauty spots. In the
course of time this area has not been greatly threatened by commercial or
industrial settlement, and so it has particular integrity. Consequently there are
micro-habitats of rare beauty and major scientific interest. The natural landscape
is particularly variegated and sinuous for the presence of numerous “dolines”. These
depressions in the territory, which are more or less circular in shape, are
indeed the most evident geomorphological element: these natural concavities are
very close to one another, and trace out scenarios that evoke fascinating
beehive structures. The dolines are a sign of the presence of karst phenomena, linked
to a set of physical-chemical dissolution processes caused by rainwater in soluble
rocks, like chalks and limestones: the rainwater shapes the rock, giving rise
to a fascinating visible landscape, and through cracks and pores infiltrates
the subsoil, contributing to the formation of subterranean cavities. Among the
many caves, the one that gives the name to the reserve is undoubtedly the most spectacular:
getting into the hole in the rock leading into the cavity is a truly exciting experience.
You can visit the cave with the necessary speleological equipment and accompanied
by the local guides.
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