The viza was a protected forest, where the Community had decided to not fell trees and graze cattle for a number of years: almost a total natural reserve, quite ahead of ">
        
        

 

Ra viza – protected forest

The viza was a protected forest, where the Community had decided to not fell trees and graze cattle for a number of years: almost a total natural reserve, quite ahead of its time.
The scope was to protect the mountainsides and prevent landslides or avalanches or to create a reserve of wood that could be used by the Community in circumstances of particular social value.

The Ampezzo word viza comes from Lombard wizan, meaning penalty, fine, land protected by law.
The ancient documents report the exact borders of the forest were wood cutting was forbidden and the sanctions for infringing the rules.

The toponymy still preserves the memory of the vizes, which had to cover a large part of the valley when the whole Ampezzo area passed under the Austrian rule in 1511:
- Viza de San Marco
- Viza de San Ròco
- Viza de San Baštiàn
- Viza de Noulù
- Ra Viza
- Parù de ra Viza
- Pian de ra Viza
- Viza de inze

The Noulù protected forest remained untouched for over two hundred years; in the mid 19th century, part of it was cut to build Cortina belltower and a few sawmills along the Boite river.