The Fanes-Sennes-Prags / Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park exhibits a characteristic Dolomite landscape. The Fanes and Sennes highlands are characterized by karstification in every imaginable form, namely solution grooves, crevices, shafts, dolines and hollows. The protected park area also contains a number of lakes, including Pragser Wildsee / Lago di Braies lake, whose surface reflects the massive slopes of Seekofel / Croda del Beco mountain, and Toblach / Dobbiaco lake, whose marshes on the lake’s southern bank provide an important habitat for many water bird species. These waterbodies are among the best known natural lakes in South Tyrol.

Founded in 1980, the Fanes-Sennes-Prags / Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park consists of an around 25,453 hectare area encompassing the municipalities of Abtei / Badia, Prags / Braies, Toblach / Dobbiaco, Wengen / La Valle, Enneberg / Marebbe and Olang / Valdaora. The mountain slopes that overlook Pustertal / Val Pusteria form the northern boundary of the park; its western boundary comprises the forested slopes overlooking Gadertal / Val Badia valley; in the south, the park extends to the south Tyrol border; and Höhlensteintal / Val di Landro valley marks the park’s eastern boundary towards the Sextner Dolomiten / Dolomiti di Sesto.

The jagged peaks and slopes found here could easily create the impression of a virtually impenetrable mountainous region. But in reality, these rocky peaks and slopes surround and at the same time protect large expanses of Alpine pastures and highlands that exhibit tremendous morphological and landscape diversity and whose core elements are Fanesalm / Malga Fanes and Sennesalm / Malga Senes Alpine pastures and the Plätzwiese / Prato Piazza highlands.