Gandria Trail

In addition to its great scenic beauty, the Gandria Trail is unique in Switzerland for the variety of plant and animal species found in the area, not surprisingly listed in the Federal Inventory of Landscapes, Sites and Natural Monuments of National Importance.

Along the trail, which stands on a limestone rock formation originating in the Jurassic (Moltrasio Limestone) with more recent deposits (dating back to the Quaternary age), we find flora typical of the Insubric area, but also of the Mediterranean area and from other parts of the world. Placed towards the south, in fact, the path is very sunny and boasts a special microclimate (the average annual temperature measured between 1981 and 2010 is 12.4°C) that allows the growth of very rare plant species. The botanical survey conducted in the summer of 2014 recorded the presence of 343 plant species, of which 54 belong to the Swiss Red List as threatened species.

Rarities include Campanula bononiensis,Inula spiraeifolia, Peucedanum venetum, Ononis pusilla and Dictamnus albus. Also growing along the trail in the walls of Via Cortivo in Castagnola is Umbilicus rupestris, an endangered species in Switzerland. Also abutting the trail are areas listed in the Federal Inventory of Dry Meadows and Pastures of National Importance.

Particular green management

In order to survive and reproduce, these species need very special conditions; therefore, the maintenance of the trail involves favoring their preservation rather than the aesthetic cleanliness of the area. As a result, at sensitive points where invasive plants are manually uprooted, grass cutting is dispensed with, and can only be done on grassy surfaces at the end of the season, with annual or biennial operations. In addition, every two or three years, again at the end of the season, shrub growth in the dry grassland is restricted to encourage herbaceous flora, with the exception of single plants of interesting species. Examples of valuable trees along the trail include raven pear, laburnum, and hackberry.

Among the problematic invasive plants that are being eradicated is Erigeron karvinskianus, the daisy that often graces walls but poses a threat to biodiversity.

This special management of the area also allows the preservation of habitat for several rare and threatened animal species, such as the butterfly Hipparchia fagi and the grasshopper Phaneroptera falcata.

Small Flora of The Gandria Trail

In the summer of 2024, the City of Lugano, in collaboration with Edizioni Casagrande, published the Small Flora of The Gandria Trail (Piccola flora del Sentiero di Gandria), the first botanical guide entirely dedicated to one of the most interesting natural areas in Ticino, but also in Switzerland and the Insubric region. The publication is curated by botanist Nicola Schoenenberger, director of the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques of the City of Geneva and one of the leading experts on the Gandria trail. Released in early July, ten weeks later the botanical guide remains among the top-selling books.

256 pages, 100 botanical sheets with photos taken on-site by the author, an introduction offering a new perspective on the uniqueness of the trail, all accompanied by short appendices and an illustrated glossary that make this guide a useful tool for everyone, from botanical experts to beginners.