The bio-geographical position of the Ampezzo Dolomites between the external Alps and the endo-alpine territories together with the diversity of natural and cultivated environments are the main reasons for the wealth of their flora. The low-impact management of the sylvan-pastoral lands, which the Regole have always practiced, and its continuity over time have permitted the establishment of a delicate ecological balance in the vast, slightly disturbed nearly natural ecosystems where flora and vegetation can develop with a high degree of biodiversity.
The Ampezzo natural environment features a variety of about 1160 species of vascular plants: 68 species of trees and shrubs, 32 species of ferns and horsetail and over 1000 species of flowering plants; 150 of which are included in the regional and national Red list indexes as rare, threatened or endangered species. Among the flora of Ampezzo there are 35 species of orchids, most of which grow in wet or forest environments. Tourists and botanical enthusiasts from all over the world visit the Dolomites to see the blooms of the Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), one of the most beautiful orchids of the European flora.