by /// April 15 Since the year of their foundation in 1967 the aim of the WWF Oases in Italy has been to safeguard natural areas of special interest in our country preserving their biodiversity and raising awareness among visitors through various types of events the WWF’s are protected natural areas – parks special conservation areas – where the environment flora and fauna play such an important role that they require special care widely spread between the provinces of Parma and Rimini Let’s find out more about them and the opportunities they offer to their visitors The Ghirardi Oasis stretches over 600 hectares between the villages of Borgo Val di Taro and Albareto Ghirardi lies on the foothills of the Parma Apennines and includes woods where the typical species of the continental climate mix with those of the Mediterranean area Ghirardi is home to 33 different types of wild orchids and more than 550 plant species endangered birds such as the honey buzzard and the shrike wolves and little-known breeds of horses and cows Visitors can take one of the trails that criss-cross it watch the birds inside the equipped hut or have a picnic by the Case Pradelle Visitor Centre There is another oasis in the area of Parma managed by the municipality of Traversetolo and WWF volunteers we are located in a foothill area closer to the city The Cronovilla Nature Reserve is the result of a renaturation process the restoration of the original state of a natural environment transformed by man in this case located along the left bank of the Enza Stream the Cronovilla oasis is a perfect example of a riverine environment It is an ideal habitat for the many bird species that inhabit it – there are more than 190 – such as kingfishers Access to the nature area is free on the marked trails In the place of a former reservoir used for clay extraction, we now find a Special Area of Conservation, as well as a WWF oasis. The Marmirolo Oasis is an aquatic environment characterized by the presence of numerous species of birds nesting and stopover place during migration Overlooking the observation huts you can admire waterfowl such as ducks and herons as well as birds of prey such as buzzards and sparrowhawks and the ever-present amphibians but you should always check opening hours before setting out The small Oasis of Sassoguidano (0.3 hectares) is part of the much larger Sassoguidano Nature Reserve (280 hectares) a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection that extends over a plateau in the middle valley of the Panaro River not far from Pavullo nel Frignano (Modena) the oasis embraces a karst meadow-grassland located within a forest as well as a part of a pond which is home to numerous amphibians: tree frogs Witnessing the exceptional conservation status of the area is the presence of the rare water violet or Hottonia palustris The oasis can be visited by walking along the network of trails within the reserve Entering the province of Bologna we come across as many as 4 oases. The largest one is that of Montovolo, located in the town of Grizzana Morandi, a place where the famous painter Giorgio Morandi used to spend his summer and home to the Rocchetta Mattei Protected by the mountains of the Bolognese Apennines the WWF Oasis of Montovolo is also part of a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection but unlike the previous ones it was acquired by the WWF which runs it thanks to its volunteers network Managed by WWF Bologna and boasting a rich biodiversity the Belpoggio Park in San Lazzaro di Savena aims at sheltering and protecting the invaluable pollinating insects this oasis includes a number of small houses called “bees hotels,” which offer shelter to pollinator hymenoptera Set within the Parco Regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e dei Calanchi dell’Abbadessa Located within the Parco dei Cedri park in San Lazzaro di Savena – a true green lung close to Bologna – is a small urban oasis of 1,500 m² set along the Savena River and included in the framework of the extensive Parco Regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi which in 1989 wanted to carry out an experiment: sowing some trees and shrubs in a quadrangle of land and letting nature take its course The result is a wonderful natural environment that The first WWF oasis of the Bologna section was created in the area of San Lazzaro di Savena a protected area within the Parco Regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi park named after an old mill now in ruins which embraces a small riparian forest along the Idice stream a small lake and a wetland that can be visited by reservation The typical vegetation of riverine areas has been left free to grow in the oasis for more than 20 years and now features a wide variety of poplars The oasis also provides shelter for many species of birds such as the bee-eater The Garzaia di Codigoro in the province of Ferrara is another example of the renaturation of an industrial environment a natural oasis was created on the premises of the former Eridania sugar factory – the first sugar plant in Italy – that is now part of both the Natura 2000 Network and Birds Protection Zones stretching over an area of about 8 hectares the Garzaia is home to a multitude of ardeidae species: great white egrets and warblers are at home in this oasis The presence of a grove of wild pronghorns locust trees and poplars provides an ideal habitat for their nesting as do the settling tanks of the former sugar factory The Garzaia features a visitor centre and organizes guided tours and activities for adults and children alike the Gregorina Oasis is part of the estate of the same name owned by Generali Group in the area of Castrocaro Terme and Terra del Sole (Forlì) The oasis stands out for its remarkable biodiversity as well as for its agricultural and organic vocation Its lands are dotted with vineyards and fields sown with floral plants which provide the ideal habitat for pollinating insects and ensure the production of wildflower honey For the tenth and last WWF Oasis in Emilia-Romagna Crossed for a good stretch by the Rio Felisina this natural area can be visited independently along two marked trails one can observe various environments such as woods springs and even traces of ancient Villanovan civilization settlements as well as a farmhouse – Ca’ Brigida precisely – whose park is home to some exotic plants Flora and fauna are particularly rich and varied in this oasis The vegetation includes trees such as black poplar Birds inhabiting the oasis include woodpeckers I was raised in the countryside but I love big cities by /// March 23 by /// July 19 by /// April 3 an email (in Italian) with selected contents and upcoming events For information, contact us: inemiliaromagna@aptservizi.com