The "Difesa Grande" forest, located in the countryside of Gravina in Puglia, is one of the most important green areas of the province of Bari and the entire Puglia region. Owned by the city, it covers nearly 2000 hectares, with an altitude ranging from 337 to 464 meters a.m.s.l.. It covers a territory between the Gravina creek and the Basentello creek, both tributaries of the Bradano river. Since 1998 is a SCI (Site of Community Importance) and contains rare species of flora and fauna. It is probably the area with the greatest concentration of species of native oaks in Italy.