Wild Orchid Stewardship Festival

Celebrating the wild orchids of Monferrato

The Wild Orchid Stewardship Festival is a spring tradition hosted annually by the Municipality of Pecetto di Valenza, in the Province of Alessandria, as part of a wider calendar of events across the Monferrato villages. Promoted by the Management Body of the Piedmontese Po Protected Areas, the festival celebrates the wild orchids that paint the meadows and woods of Piedmont in shades of color between April and May, when these delicate flowers reach full bloom.

Bric Montariolo, the heart of the festival

The opening weekend takes place in Pecetto di Valenza, at the foot of Bric Montariolo, a hill that is part of the Piedmontese Po Natural Park. This area hosts one of the richest concentrations of wild orchids in the region: during the guided walk, accompanied by botanical experts, visitors can identify the various species growing spontaneously in the tall grass, learning how to observe them without causing damage.

More than just a hike

The festival offers much more than a simple walk: the program includes presentations of naturalistic publications dedicated to Piedmontese flora, fossil and mineral exhibitions, the opening of the Rocca with its naturalistic garden, and the "Margherita Hack" Astronomical Park, where the Galileo Amateur Astronomers Group of Alessandria offers telescope observations. A convivial lunch organized by the Pro Loco Borsalino is also a highlight.

The concept of stewardship

At the heart of the event is the concept of stewardship: an invitation to citizens to voluntarily take care of the patches of nature that surround them, from their own gardens to the local meadows and woods. It is a biodiversity protection project born from European initiatives dedicated to orchids, which has seen a growing network of "custodians" committed to protecting these fragile species over the years.

A widespread event in Monferrato

While centered in Pecetto di Valenza, the festival spans several days and involves various municipalities in the Monferrato and Alessandria areas, including Terruggia, with excursions and events that accompany the spring season until May. For those who love nature, botany, and the Piedmontese hills, it is the ideal opportunity to combine an outdoor walk with the discovery of a little-known natural heritage.