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 Around two thirds of the park area are made up of debris and rocks. A series of plants have specialized on living in these meager places. The pioneer vegetation plays thus an important role in this area.
 In crevices, fissures and on narrow ledges some of the most beautiful flowers of the Dolomites grow: the Dolomite cinquefoil, the dwarf alpenrose, the bear's ear, the yellow milfoil and Scheuchzer's harebell. Most of the plant species growing in these areas are endemites, which have survived the ice age on the steep southern slopes of the mountains. On detritus slopes, larches and cembra pines can be found in the mugo pine fields. Wherever the pioneer plants have caused the accumulation of enough humus, larger shrubs begin to grow. This continuously increasing humus soil provides nutriment for millions of microorganisms. It needs to be said, though, that thousands of years are needed to create the living conditions for such diverse species on the rocky soil.
 The king of the Alpine fauna is the eagle. He nests on protected rock ledges, where he hatches one or two nestlings a year. Small song-birds, such as the white winged snowfinch and the Alpine accentor look for insects, such as the machilis and the collembola , in the debris slopes.
Mats of cushion sedges cover the Schlern Dolomite. On windy ledges and peaks grassy patches with Bellard's kobresia can be found. Multicolored communities of blue moor grass thrive on steep and sunny southern slopes. Some birds, such as the pipit, are typical inhabitants of these grass communities and the chamoises often find food here.
 Sunny meadows with larches show the beauty and the harmony of the Alpine cultural landscape. The meadows on the slopes of Haunold, Gsell and below Rotwand are also an impressive sight. The larch vegetation on the mountain pastures has always been supported by man, as the translucent tops of those trees allow for enough sunlight to shine through. The larches could thus be used for timber, while the pastures could still be mowed. Moreover, the deep-reaching roots of the larches protect the soil from erosion and do not disturb the growth of the grasses and herbs, which have much shorter roots. Among the flowers growing on these modestly fertilized pastures are gentians, orchids, anemones and hare-bells. Weathered hay-sheds, built and roofed with larch wood, complete this extraordinary cultural landscape.
  Especially in its eastern region, the nature park is surrounded by sub-Alpine spruce woods, interspersed with larches and sometimes also with firs and cembra pines. Sometimes also deciduous trees can be found in spruce woods, especially birches and mountain-ashes. The timber line, which consists of spruces, larches and occasionally cembra pines, is situated at 1,900 m above sea level. Typical of these Alpine woods and partly also of the coppice connecting the woods to the Alpine meadows are animals such as the pygmy owl, Tengmalm's owl, the black woodpecker, the spotted woodpecker and sometimes the three-toed woodpecker. Roe-deer can be seen in the open areas, in woods rich of small shrubs and in summer also in the coppice between woods and meadows. Finally, the rich vegetation of small berry-bearing shrubs is an important source of nourishment for capercaillies and black cocks. |
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