The territory of Lomellina not only offers monuments and historic buildings such as Castles and Abbeys to visit, but also hides corners of paradise surrounded by greenery such as the Heronries and the Natural Oases.
Some heronries in Lomellina are protected and along with the natural oases they are perfect for those who love to observe animals in their natural habitat and practice bird watching. As a matter of fact, in these areas characterized by marshy vegetation it is possible to spot various species of herons that nest together such as: gray herons, red herons and squacco herons. Garzaie (heronries), a term that comes from the dialectal expression "sgarza" (heron), are the ideal place for the sustenance of these birds, as it is easier to find food both for themselves and for their littles due to their proximity to rice fields, small reservoirs or streams.
Among these we can find: the Bosco Basso Heronry, located between the municipalities of Breme and Sartirana Lomellina, which is characterized by the presence of fountains; the Palude Loja Regional Reserve, recognized as a nature reserve since the early 1980s; the Verminesca Heronry; the Lombard Park of the Ticino Valley; the Rinalda Heronry and many others.
Itinerary of the Heronries and Natural Oases in Lomellina
Explore the Lomellina between Heronries and Natural Oases.
Photo gallery
Itinerary description
Choose a point of the itinerary to start from
1° place on the itinerary
Heronry of Celpenchio
The heronry of Celpenchio is located between the municipalities of Cozzo, Rosasco and Castelnovetto, on an area of 140 hectares. It extends into a marshy depression of swamps, ponds, networks of canals and woods, and is home to the largest colony purple herons in Lomellina. Among the mammals we can find a skunk.
2° place on the itinerary
Verminesca Heronry
The Verminesca heronry extends over the territories of Cozzo, Sant'Angelo and Castelnovetto, and occupies an area of 173 hectares. It is a swampy strip along the Guida canal, where humid black alder woods alternate with expanses of marshy vegetation. The little bittern, a small solitary heron specialized in mimicry, nests among the marshy vegetation.
3° place on the itinerary
Heronry of the Abbey of Acqualunga
The heronry of the Abbey of Acqualunga in the Municipality of Frascarolo includes three wooded areas, in one of which there is a colony of herons, the most interesting one in the region. All five species of gregarious herons that nest in Italy are present, unique in Lombardy.
4° place on the itinerary
"Lago di Sartirana" Heronry
The "Lago di Sartirana" heronry is located near an oxbow lake formed in the 18th century by a bend in the Sesia river. It has long been known not only for its luxuriant reeds but also for its migratory birdlife.
5° place on the itinerary
Sant'Alessandro Heronry
The Sant'Alessandro heronry is located in the Municipality of Zeme: with an extension of 256 hectares, it is the largest in the province of Pavia. It has a great variety of environments: a humid forest of black alders, some bushy areas of willows, expanses of marsh reeds, hammerheads and sedges, and vast areas flooded by spring waters devoid of vegetation.
6° place on the itinerary
Rinalda Heronry
The Rinalda heronry, located in Candia, with its 37 hectares is a small wetland, fed by fountains and crossed by numerous irrigation canals. A consistent colony of night herons and egrets nests here, but the diversification of the environments also offers refuge to other species of birds, such as the green woodpecker, which is now rare in the Po Valley.
7° place on the itinerary
Heronry of Cascina Notizia
The heronry of Cascina Notizia, near Goido (hamlet of Mede), is a hygrophilous grove of 75 hectares often interrupted by large clearings, dominated by herbaceous species living in a humid environment. Here as well we find an ornithofauna typical of the lowland areas, including the little grebe, the coot and the little bittern.
8° place on the itinerary
Villa Biscossi Heronry
The Villa Biscossi heronry extends for 72 hectares in a very luxuriant humid grove. The black alder is the dominant essence, as well as elderberries and dogwoods. Gray herons are the first to occupy part of the heronry at the end of January; followed by night herons, little egrets and, in the second half of April, red herons and squacco herons.
9° place on the itinerary
Cascina Isola Heronry
The Cascina Isola heronry is located in Langosco, in a floodplain area of the Sesia river, mainly cultivated with poplar groves and paddy fields that are home to a large colony of herons. Some oak, white poplar and plane trees are preserved there.
10° place on the itinerary
Bosco Basso Heronry
The Bosco Basso heronry is located in the municipalities of Breme and Sartirana. The high humidity of the soil is maintained by some natural springs, from which the Giardino cable and the Massa colatore branch off, used for irrigation purposes. Among the reeds there are also examples of bittern, a non-gregarious heron, river nightingale and great reed warblers.
11° place on the itinerary
Palude Loja regional reserve
The Palude Loja regional reserve is located between the municipalities of Sant'Angelo and Zeme. It is a wetland fed by springs along the Guida and Raina canals, with hygrophilous vegetation of black alder, willow and reeds.
12° place on the itinerary
Heronry of Gallia
The heronry of Gallia is located in the Municipality of Galliavola. It was established in 1996 by the Lombardy Region and occupies an area of approximately 23 hectares.
13° place on the itinerary
Lombard Park of the Ticino Valley
The Lombard Park of the Ticino Valley is the largest river park in Europe and has been recognized by Unesco as a Biosphere Reserve since 2002: the Municipality of Cassolnovo is one of the gateways to Lomellina. The main paths in the woods are located on the "Mandelli" island or starting from the hamlet of Villareale along the "Ring of the witches" section.