The Marganai forest is located in South Western Sardinia (Italy). It includes five main forest management units (FMU) managed by the Regional Agency Forestas: two state-owned forests (Margani and Gutturu Pala) and three FMU in a state of occupation or temporary concession (Monte Argentu, Portixeddu-Planedda and Nuraxifigus-Funtanamare).

The forest covers an area of about 3650 hectares, within the municipalities of Domusnovas, Iglesias and Fluminimaggiore. The forest of Gutturu Pala covers about 940 hectares entirely within the municipality of Fluminimaggiore. The cadastral area is 4577.2 hectares, split among three municipalities and 17 cadastral parcels (4 of the municipality of Iglesias, 8 of Domusnovas and 5 of Fluminimaggiore).

The state-owned forest of Marganai consists of a single body, while the Gutturu Pala one includes a main block (bordering the northern portion of the Marganai forest) and a small body located to the west of the central part of the aforementioned forest.

The geomorphology of the area is characterized by an alternation of rugged mountain ranges separated by narrow valleys, crossed by non-perennial watercourses. The vegetation is mainly represented by Mediterranean scrubland which characterises areas with a high protective function. The woodlands are dominated by Quercus ilex which is often accompanied by sclerophyllous trees and shrubs, such as Arbutus Unedo, Phillyrea Latifolia and Erica Arborea, and Quercus suber particularly in the Iglesiente and Fluminese areas. In the North Eastern area of the Marganai forest there are coniferous reforestations which were carried out in the 1980s for experimentation purposes.