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parks
The region of Lombardy boasts a
strong experience in environmental
policies which can be seen through
the planning and creation of a large
number of parks, protected areas
and wildlife reserves. They have been
designed with an extended scope,
aiming to look after and at the same
time revalorise the land. The protected areas represent a resource that
should be valued in terms of quality
of life. They make accessible and
available to all some of the most di-
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Por tions of nature
verse types of environment without
compromising natural balance. The
idea is not, however, to try to domesticate nature. In other words, the
intention is not to create an artificial
glass nursery for nature to be simply put into and looked at. The
parks in Lombardy, in their diversity, do not just focus on the natural
aspect of the area over which they
extend, but also take into consideration the work of man, as a part of a
balanced landscape.
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With respect to geomorphology, Lombardy’s surface is extremely various. In fact, the
region includes different elements, varying from the Alps mountain range to several
large lakes, hill ranges, rivers, and a vast plain. A portion of Stelvio National Park
apart, the system of protected areas consists of 26 Regional Parks, 23 intercity Parks
(subdivided based on their specific locations), 58 Regional Natural Reserves, and 25
natural Monuments, each characterized by a significant natural element. In all, 20 percent of the region is submitted to environmental regulation.
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One of the greatest objectives of
two of the region’s most important
alpine parks – the Regional Park of
Adamello and the National Park of
Stelvio – is that of the repopulation
of a certain number of species, considered to have long since disappeared from the area. In the first of
the two it is once again possible to see
the ibex; whilst in the second the
biggest of all the alpine birds, the
lammergeier, has successfully been
reintroduced. A project is also underway to reintroduce predators to
the parks such as the brown bear and
the lynx. On a larger scale, the two
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parks, together with the Park of Engadina and the Park of AdamelloBrenta, form the largest single protected area in the Alps.
Flora and fauna aside, the two parks
offer spectacular landscapes such as
the rocky mountainsides of Adamello massif, with its large glacier, rivers
and waterfalls that run through its
valleys and its dense woodland. Of
great historical interest are the battlefields between glaciers dating back to
the First World War, amongst the
highest areas of combat in the history of the world.
The Regional Park of Adamello includes many areas of high natural, environmental, and
landscape value. At Vezza d’Oglio is located the Nature Museum, supplying all the
information about the Park. Its various exhibition areas reconstruct the different local
habitats, with their typical animal and vegetable species. Adamello territory presents
wetlands (there is a model recreating a stream ecosystem); woods of broadleaved trees
and Norwegian spruces; shrub habitats; alpine prairies; rock areas.
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Of course the biological importance of these protected areas is understandable; but, if we look at
them in terms of geology, there are
some surprising natural formations
that must be conserved and revalorised, too.
The Marmitte dei Giganti, (Giants’ Cooking Pots) situated in the
reserve that goes by the same name
in Val Bregaglia, are elliptical or circular forms cut into the soft rock
(the same ollare stone used for cookware) by ice during the formation of
the glacier. Next to these unique examples of erosion are the so-called
crotti, cracks between imposing
masses of rock through which a constant, both in temperature and intensity, wind blows.
Embedded in wonderful contexts,
the two natural reserves Postalesio
and Zone are home to the pyramids,
again created by erosion, similar to
the spires of a gothic cathedral, that
the overlooking rocky masses keep
from being swept away.
Following the Strada Statale Sebina, beyond Iseo, Sultano and Sale Marasino, you may
reach Marone. From this junction a detour leads to the village of Zone, the “realm of
pyramids”. These pyramids are imposing and bizarre spires, formed by earth and gravel, with a characteristic rocky top. Such formations were created by water erosion: this
constant process ended by moulding the morainic material into an imaginary cathedral
with its spires. You can use a bicycle and follow the track (not too steep) crossing the
reserve: the upper segment captures open, panoramic views over Lake Iseo.
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Situated between Valchiavenna and Val Bregaglia, the park of Marmitte dei Giganti
(Giants’ Cooking Pots) gets its name from the deep, cylindrical potholes that, according
to legend, were used for gigantic meals. The mule-tracks and trails, well-maintained by
the Park’s authorities, enable the visitor to walk through an area rich in landscape interest. In addition to the luxuriant growth of vegetation (a visit to the Paradiso botanic garden, where the most significant and rarest species are found, is recommended), this
area constitutes a real open-air museum because of the many and interesting rock
engravings, providing evidence of millennial human occupation.
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Once left Chiavenna, and taken the walking route starting from Piazza Castello, after
a while you arrive at the base of marvellous Acqua Fraggia waterfall. From here, an
ancient shepherd track leads to Alpe di Lago pasture. Along the trail there are many
huts, in the past providing rest and refreshment during the exhausting transhumance
towards the mountain grazing lands. From Savogno, you might wish going on walking until you reach Dasile village; the splendid trail and the awesome sight of the surroundings mountains will repay the effort.
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The waterfalls of Acqua Fraggia,
with their spectacular drop of over
one hundred and sixty meters, have
fascinated travellers throughout the
centuries and have now been officially recognised by the Regione
Lombardia as a natural monument.
In fact work has been carried out by
the region in the valley that lies below
the waterfall, making it more accessible to its many visitors.
In the heart of the small reserve
called Sasso Malascarpa is a limestone
cave of the same name that contains
a number of conchodon fossils (large
marine shellfish).
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One of the most important functions of natural reserves, with regard to the environmental strategy,
is to defend the areas’ biodiversity.
Whilst public opinion is relatively
pro when it comes to saving large
animals that risk extinction, things
become much more difficult to understand when talking about protecting seemingly insignificant
plants, insects or organisms that are
similar to others that have absolutely no risk of becoming extinct. Only the most recent studies
carried out in this particular field
have demonstrated the absolute necessity to preserve an ecosystems
biodiversity, in other words the genetical heritage of all species and
ecosystems on Earth. Even organisms that appear to be relatively insignificant, play an important role
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in the biosphere and the variety of
this genetical heritage is the best
means of defense against extinction
caused by disease or by climatical
and environmental change. For this
reason, in Lombardy a number of
reserves dedicated to protecting a
particular kind of species have been
created. An example could be that
of the fragile moorland vegetation,
which mainly consists of heather
and broom, now visible only in very
limited areas such as the Park of
Brughiera Briantea, or the rufa ant,
a protected species that lives within the Bosco del Giovetto.
Many, then, are the species under
protection or that are part of reintroduction programs throughout
the region’s parks and its nature reserves, depending upon their natural habitat.
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Among the numerous insects populating the parks of Lombardy, a special role is played by
southern wood ant (formica lugubris), an ecological “guard” protecting conifer woods. A
sworn enemy of pine processionary caterpillar, this ant builds its nest – a dome-shaped
structure of artistic perfection, made of big amounts of pine and fir needles – in thick
underbrush or at the edge of glades. These ants, recognizable by the slender body, the long
legs and the rust red colour, are provided with a weapon, a formic acid gland occupying
nearly one fifth of their body volume, by which they “activate” their predatory capabilities.
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One of the ecosystems most severly affected by anthropisation
must surely be that of the areas
known as wetlands. Remains of the
antique Gerundo sea, which in prehistorical times covered the entire
Pianura Padana, left swamps and
forests covering large areas between
the river Po and the Alps.
The draining process began in
Medieval times thanks to the initiative of the Benedictine monks.
The idea was to create fertile land
in order to cultivate crops and at
the same time make way for human settlements. However this
work was of a localised nature and
did not determine the demise of
the swampland, which continued
to remain a significant feature of
the Pianura Padana. It was at the
end of the seventeenth century that
these swamps finally disappeared,
under demographic and political
pressure from the state, thanks to
a great drainage project that was
undertaken and that continued
right up until almost present day.
Founded in 1973 by a local youth association, the Tirano Ethnographic Museum seeks
to collect and preserve the traces of Valtellina’s rural and mountain models of life. The
museum exposition helps visitors learn about various themes of rural way of life, such as
production activities (agriculture, cattle farming, cheese making, transporting) home
habits (bedroom, kitchen). The facility also contains a library, a video room, and a rich
picture (photographs, prints, and postcards) archive of local subject.
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Literature
Three great rivers, no more fettered by mountains, descended to the plain south of
Bergamo. Adda, Serio e Oglio ran through fields and woods, before – near Treviglio,
Romano, and Roccafranca – feeding a single vaste wetland called Gerundo. Quite lake,
because formed of fresh water; quite marsh, because not very deep and rich in trees,
ponds, and “quore”, quite sea, because so large, and because the dialectal word
“mara” meant “sea”, older than the plain itself, concealed animals by then disappeared
on dry lands and in mountain lakes.
Giuseppe Pederiali, Donna di spade, 1991
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The swamplands suffered from
“bad press” due to folkloristic legends of monsters, dragons and evil
creatures that inhabited them, this
combined with the local health authority’s obsession that the swampland was somehow linked to epidemic outbreaks caused by its stagnant waters, actually saw the Spanish government put a ban on the
cultivation of rice in these areas.
Nowadays we are able to fully appreciate an ecosystem that was for so
long unjustly given such a bad name.
These very swamplands are a natural
habitat for many species, in particular birds and plants, that thrive on a
particularly rich food chain in an environment completely free of any
form of human settlement.
Ostiglia Swamp, at the edge of the ancient Silva Hostilia Valley, is known for being the
only “hanging swamp” in Italy. In effect, the swamp is 2 metres higher than the surrounding countryside. Following the “nature route” along the part of Bianco Canal’s
embankment between the parking lot and the Centro Visite (Visitor Centre), a little botanic garden with species typical of the area is found. Carrying on along the embankment
around the swamp, the watch shelters are located. The reserve is provided with a visitor
centre, an audio-video room, and three bird watching shelters.
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Sasso Malascarpa Natural Reserve covers an area included between the ridge connecting Cornizzolo (m 1240) and Corni di Canzo (m 1373) peaks. The park is located in a
tectonic region featuring the singular “fold structure” and the so-called “ploughed
fields”, with a typical karst origin. Due to successive sedimentations, it is now possible
to find fossil encrustations of Lamellibranchia mollusca, abundant on the limestone pavements running from S. Siro al Monte to Sasso Malascarpa, composed of Dolomia and
Canchodon.
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The wetlands have a distinctly
different origin, in fact their creation is often through the work of
man. This is in fact the case of the
peat-bogs and Sebina swamps, today part of a nature reserve.
In prehistoric times these swamps
were filled with vegetable remains,
not fully decomposed due to the
scarcity of oxygen. These remains
were consequently transformed into peat through the natural process
of carbonisation. On top of these
filled swamps, a higrophylous
prairie grew rich until the period
between the 1700s and 1800s,
when the industrial demand for
great quantities of fuel arose. This
is when the digging for peat began,
turning the landscape’s aspect into
that what we can still today, areas
of water separated by thin strips of
earth which the peat diggers used
to use as walkways. Also the fountains gushing out of the flatland
caused by an underground impermeable barrier took advantage
from the digging of what is commonly referred to as “the eye”; in
the past, often a dell of variable diameter was created to make it easier to extract the water that lay beneath the surface. The nature reserves Fontanile Brancaleone and
Fontanile Nuovo today defend an
immense natural heritage that
through time has developed
around these human works. The
Sorgente Funtanì, in Valle Sabbia,
home to a exceptional variety of
fresh water molluscs, is, however,
of a natural origin.
Torbiere del Sebino Natural Reserve, a peat bog (torbiera) situated close to the south
shore of Lake Iseo, is the most important wet land in Brescia region. This extraordinary
water habitat was created by man through peat extraction. Now it is divided into two
different zones: the “Lame”, a wide tangle of canals and small basins, and the
“Lametta”, whose north end is directly connected to Lake Iseo, in the vicinity of the villages of Iseo and Clusone. The peat bog contains a variety of microhabitats, providing
shelter to numerous animal species, such as the Great Crested Grebe, the Little Grebe,
and several species of overwintering ducks.
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Food and Wine
Flooded rice fields are similar to marshes. The two areas, in fact, are both rich in water and
share many identical species, above all amphibians, fish, and birds. As soon as this cereal
grass arrived in Europe from the Far East, it was rapidly adopted in the suitable environments
provided by wet lands, where marshes, swamps, and ponds forests had not yet been
eliminated. The great plains of fertile soil and plenty of water made the Pianura Padana ideal
for growing rice. Thanks to an ancient and continuous process of selecting the best qualities,
today we have excellent types of rice, all derived from Japonica genes. In comparison with
their Eastern cousins, the seeds of the Lombard species are bigger and richer in starch, thus
being particularly suitable for recipes that call for preparing an amalgamated and smooth
risotto. This is Lombardy’s real “national dish”. Its roots go back to an entirely local tradition,
involving a variety of recipes and ingredients, ranging from beans to lake fish, sausages,
ossobuco (veal shank), saffron, mushrooms. A number of rice-based dishes exist, as this
ingredient is the perfect companion to all sorts of food. Its special consistency makes rice well
fit for haute (yet poor) cuisine.
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Other wetland areas are the remnants of vast, antique marshlands.
The Brabbia swamp was originally
part of lake Varese. The lowering of
the water level due to the formation
of an effluent, left a large portion of
isolated land which became over-
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grown with vegetation typical of
marshland areas. Today, amongst
the rich fauna that this area has to
offer, are two protected species of
particular interest; the moretta
tabaccata duck and the viviparous
lizard.
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Just at the edge of Varese, situated between Varese and Comabbio lakes, Brabbia
Swamp is found. This is a singularly interesting site for bird watching. Within its 159
hectares of wilderness, in the midst of the reeds, large clumps of sedges and small woods
of hygrophilous plants, mostly grey willows and black alders, growing near the ponds
(dialectically called as chiari, meaning clear) more than 170 ornithological species live.
Some of the most interesting are the Gadwall, the Bittern, and various species of grebes,
black-crowned night herons, ducks (such as the Ferruginous Pochard) and herons.
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Of exceptional naturalistic interest is the reserve “Pian di SpagnaLago di Mezzola”, declared “Wetland of international importance
under the Convention of Ramsar”.
Its great naturalistic value can be
mostly related to its pre-alpine position where many migratory birds
come to rest or before or after they
undertake the long journey to cross
the Alps. Over two hundred and
sixty different species of birds have
been recorded in this area, as well
as rare sightings of otters in lake
Mezzola. The wetland of Pian di
Spagna, which originates from the
river Adda’s delta in proximity of
lake Como, takes its name from the
Spanish garrison that used to guard
the road that runs from Spluga to
the lake. In the nineteenth century the Austrian government ordered it to be drained due to its bad
reputation as a breeding ground for
malaria: this is the reason why it is
much smaller nowadays than what
it once was.
Other highly protected marshland
areas are the pond of Lentate, within the park of Groane and the bog
of Pralugano, inside the park of
Campo dei Fiori.
Pian di Spagna-Lago di Mezzola Reserve is situated in the north part of Lake Como,
with which in Roman times it formed a single body. This complex ecosystem, where
lands still used for agriculture alternate with water meadows and reeds, is an oasis of
shelter for many resident and especially migratory bird species: about 200 different
species have been observed in the area, including the Spotted Crake, the Common
Sandpiper, the Kingfisher, and the very rare Bluethroat. A census of the oasis showed
24 species of water bird, but the real emblem of the Reserve remains the Mute Swan, a
regular nesting species at Pian di Spagna-Lago di Mezzola.
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Immediately outside from the city area is located the Groane park, a semi-natural area
covering what remains of the large moorland North-West of Milan. The park is crossed
by a footpath with signs and interpretation panels, to enable the visitor to learn the
nature/fauna characteristics of the 4 main local vegetation belts: wild meadows, pine
woods, broadleaved wood, and wetlands.
Also interesting are some sites of high historic and artistic interest, such as the
Castellazzo at Bollate, the Valera at Arese, the Villa Borromeo at Senago, and the
Cascina Mirabella at Lentate sul Seveso.
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The naturalistic interest in riverside parks has a lot in common with
the naturalistic interest taken in
wetlands; both have, in fact, designated areas within their confines of
particular interest in terms of fauna
and avifauna.
However, alongside these nature
reserves, the passage of water
through the region’s rivers is characterised by some speficic features.
Adda Nord Park shows some interesting examples of palaeoindustrial
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architecture. Adda Sud Park is rich
with poplar woods and natural
forests. Mincio Park, with its water
meadows, contains some fine Gonzaga villas. Valle del Lambro Park is
especially notable for the high landscape value of Inverigo’s gorge, and
– in lower Lambro area – for the
presence of patrician villas and
Monza’s Villa Reale, with its immense park. Typical of Ticino Park,
finally, are moorlands, forests, water meadows and rice fields.
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Handcraft
There was a time when forests reigned over Europe. People found there the main resources
to produce most products. Not only wood had been the only ignitible substance for
centuries, but it also was used to build ships, houses, tools, furniture, carriages; in essence,
almost all everyday items. The growing popolation and circulation, the first applications
of metallurgy triggered a real “wood crisis”. Forests disappeared due to over-explotation,
so people started seeking different resources and combustible materials. The Industrial
Revolution marked the nadir of the wood-based activities. Today the ancient skill of
woodworking has not completely vanished; it survives in those areas where nature and
man can coexist side by side. Lombardy hosts mountain communities in which the age-old
traditions are considered a real heritage. Here, the historic craft of woodcarving – that
throughout centuries created remarkable pieces of art – is still alive and continues making
common and useful items, such as bowls, ladles, chopping boards, and clogs. Modest
objects, but rendered precious by the natural warmth of wood.
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Many parks exist in Lombardy focused on promoting the cultural and
anthropical heritage within its own
natural context. The Parks of Grosio
and Valcamonica have many rock en-
gravings, that are precious both with
regard to the archaeological and landscape aspect; so the two interest are
both preserved. Alta Valle Trompia
Mining Park is provided with a fasci-
Ceto-Cimbergo-Paspardo Rocky Engraves Regional Reserve is situated in middle
Valcamonica, close to Adamello Park. It was established by Regione Lombardia in 1953
with the aim of protecting this large area, rich in ancestral traces incised in the rock surface, as well as several ethnographic and botanic elements concerning the evolution of
the alpine environment through millennia. The Park counts various theme paths, enabling
the visitor to obtain information about the successive stages of Alpine peoples’ cultural
development from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages in middle Europe.
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nating path in the midst of old mines,
melting pots and master moulders’
workshops. The Agricolo Sud Milano
Park is encompassed in a typical Lombard landscape, made of ploughed
fields, canals, traditional farmhouses
(built in bricks with the typical square
courtyard), and abbeys, giving evidence of Benedictine contribution to
the local development of agriculture.
For birdwatchers, Adda Nord Park is an infinite source of emotion. Near Brivio marsh
and characteristic Annone and Pusiano lakes, in Brianza region, a luxuriant vegetation
formed by reeds and canes provides many avifauna species with an optimal habitat
during nesting season. In the midst of the wonderful water lilies, the splendid yellow
flowers of iris (protected species), high up to 100 centimetres, and cattails, with their
curious cylindrical flowers, it is not rare to see coots, mallards, grebes, swans, grey
herons, waterhens, seagulls, and, in recent days, cormorants too.
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Many of the protected areas have
been established with the purpose of
defending lands fortuitously remained untouched by human activities and provided with a natural-interest wealth. However, these factors
do not complete the scope of a park.
This was proved by the unconven-
tional initiative of founding the Nord
Milano Park. It was created on an
area heavily affected by urban decay,
provoked by a chaotic peripheral urbanisation, disused factories, and illegal dumps. The area was remodelled based on its current conditions.
The so-called montagnetta, for exam-
Created in the Thirties as a landing area for seaplanes, the Idroscalo is a large basin
fed by water originating from subterranean springs and Naviglio Martesana canal.
During the years, it has become an increasingly important meeting place, where people
like going to walk, play, bicycle, swim, and practice any other type of sport, from
canoeing to sailing, to water skiing, to fishing, to football, to climbing, to skating; or
simply to enjoy some relaxing moments, to sunbathe in the summer or to attend concerts
and entertainment performances.
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ple (one of the most pleasant places
in the area) was originally a small
“knoll” formed by metal scrap coming from a steel plant’s blast furnace,
later covered with soil and manure.
Today this park provides Milanese
people with recreational facilities
spread over more than six hundred
hectares of green space, demonstrating clear progress in improving quality of life in the city of Milan. The
suburban park of Le Groane is situat-
ed in a part not usable for agriculture;
so this land remained very sparsely
populated until after the end of the
Second World War, when urban development started taking place.
Nonetheless, a relatively large tract of
land has conserved its natural ecosystems, now falling under the park’s
management and protection. Today
the area – including moorland, wetland, and pine and oak woods – is
home to a variety of wildlife.
The Torre Branca is a metallic structure 108.6 metres high, built beside the Triennale
building. Designed by the architect Giò Ponti for the 5th edition of the Mostra Triennale
delle Arti Decorative (Triennial Exposition of Decorative Arts) it opened on August, 10th
1933. Thanks to a restoration, it has been opened back to public since Summer 1997.
From its summit the observer can appreciate a wide-open view of the main monuments
in Milan: the Arco della Pace (Peace Arch), the Castelllo Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) and
the Duomo (Cathedral).
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The Idroscalo Park, acting as a
great green lung for Milan, has a
unique origin. The large basin
was created in the twenties as a
landing area for seaplanes, but
this functionality was only seldom
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exploited. Since its birth onwards,
this artificial lake has been used
for entertainment and sports
event, as well as for swimming,
since its waters, fed by subterranean springs, are among the
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purest in Lombardy. Connected
to Idroscalo is small Laghetto
delle Vergini, a fascinating natural
oasis where invasive and stranger
vegetable species, such as robinia,
have been replaced by autochthon
vegetation. The maximum value
of the park, though, lies in its location: the park and the city can
coexist side by side, and nature
can flourish wherever it is allowed.
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parks
Traveller’s Notes
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