Description of the attraction
The Valle Cavanata Nature Reserve covers an area of 327 hectares on the eastern edge of the Grado lagoon in northeastern Italy. In the 1920s, a fish hatchery was established on this territory, which was fenced in by an embankment and equipped with special flood locks. During ebb and flow, the water level in Valle Cavanata could be regulated by means of bottom gates. The fish itself was caught using the so-called "lavorieros" - metal nets. Fish farming flourished in Valle Cavanata until 1995, after which this area was used for conservation purposes, in particular as a nesting place for birds.
Today Valle Cavanata is a combination of several ecosystems at once - lagoons, beaches, forests, meadows, ponds, etc., which makes the reserve an ideal habitat and nesting place for over 260 species of birds. The reserve was recognized as a wetland of international importance and a special protection zone. The incredible biodiversity of Valle Cavanata can be admired by walking along one of several short routes. On the coast there are flower plants, among the sand dunes - young poplars and willows, and near the shallows - limonium with its beautiful purple inflorescences. In the northwestern part of the reserve, there are meadows, and along the fresh springs, ordinary reeds grow, which are especially abundant on the Averto Canal. There you can also see dense thickets of the elm tree, planted back in 1946.
The significant diversity of ecosystems and the limited human presence make the Valle Cavanata home to numerous animal species. There are especially many birds here, among which aquatic species dominate: in winter, various species of ducks and grebes are most often found, in spring and summer herons and birds appear, feeding in the silt. There are also birds of prey here, for example, Marsh Harriers, as well as several "families" of mute swans and gray geese. And in recent years, "newbies" have been spotted - stilts, common terns, woodcocks, shelves and even pink flamingos! The most favorable month for observing this whole feathered company is April. Deer, hares, foxes, badgers and stone martens live on the territory of the reserve.
The Valle Cavanata Nature Reserve is also interesting from the point of view of monuments of human activity. For the most part, its territory consists of fish-breeding valleys - channels and channels, interrupted by sand dunes and beaches, which are periodically flooded with water, and islets. You can still see water level control devices, artificial fish ponds and the Lavorieros here.
