Massaciuccoli Oasis

Chiarone Nature Reserve

The visit to the reserve consists of a wooden walkway on stilts for a length of about 800 metres, which continues on a level path inside a small wet wood.

An evocative walk that plunges into a unique environment where it is possible to observe the typical flora of marshes and hygrophilous woods, insects, fish and other aquatic organisms and, of course, with a little attention, the various species of birds that populate this environment, which is an important resting, wintering and reproduction area.

Along the route there are short branches leading to the four observatories, two of which overlook the lake, from which it is possible to spot deep-water birds such as the Cormorant, the Little Grebe or even the great Osprey perched on a pole intent on eating a fish. The other two observatories overlook the "chiari" within the marsh, important artificial shallow water areas where aquatic plants grow and where various birds such as waders and herons feed.

At the end of the stilt walk, a path through the humid wood leads to a further elevated observatory and a characteristic "butterfly garden", a small island of plant biodiversity able to welcome and feed these insects in all phases of their life cycle.