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The
Marshlands
The marshlands that are
an important part of the Ravenna landscape
are considered the most important nature
zone in northern Italy for the number of
migratory birds that winter there. These
marshlands differ substantially from those
found in the Comacchio area, as they are
partly freshened by the influx of the Reno
river, and are fortified with artificial
banks to promote the development of fisheries.
Among the most important:
- the Valle di San
Clemente di Primàro is undoubtedly
the most complete and impressive of the
Ravenna marshlands.
It alone covers a thousand hectares and
is actually the continuation towards the
sea of the Comacchio marshlands; in 1981
it was declared by the Ramsar Convention
to be a marshy area of international importance,
along with the zone known as Pialassa
Baiona.
It consists of: a wooded section with
pines and oaks alternating with farmland
(planted with grape vines and meadows),
a large fishing lagoon and industrial
plantations of poplars.
The fauna is well represented: coots,
cranes, swamp hawks; in the woods: woodcocks
and wood pigeons; pheasants in the farmed
zones, lapwings and plovers in the meadows.
- The Valle Furlana
where great numbers and types of
species spend the winter, constituting
an authentic gene pool. Among these are
the red-throated loon, the kingfisher,
pink seagulls and black-footed partridges.
The Valle delle Punte and
the Valle delle Mandriole , once
parts of the ancient flood tide lagoon,
are now separated by the Lamone river
that divides them into two radically different
morphological structures:
- The Valle delle Punte
is a varied environment: it has
ponds, canals, prairies, dense woods,
cane fields; the vegetation consists of
an incredible variety of rare plants (yellow
iris, orchids). The predominant fauna
is the egret.
- The Valle delle Mandriole
, an open environment with vast cane
fields, is considered the ideal bird habitat
for species like the swamp hawk.
Regional
Park of the Po Delta
This is the largest of the Italian regional
parks; it includes the southernmost sector
of the enormous Po delta, the most important
marshlands of the lower Emilia-Romagna plain
and the mouth of many of the rivers that
originate in the Apennines.
This territory, despite the large-scale
alterations wrought by man, has preserved
much of its precious marshy environment,
with pinewoods , woodlands, pristine
beaches that are still intact.
The zone is densely inhabited by many varieties
of fauna, particularly birds that build
their nests and spend several months there
during their migration.
There are also a number of important artistic
and historical sites in the area including
Comacchio, Pomposa, St. Apollinare in
Classe .
Pialasse
Ravennati
The process of transformation
of the land into swamp by the Apennine rivers
and the Po has progressively let
to the isolation of increasing areas of
the sea shallows, creating many "lagoons"
adjacent to the sea.
The flow of fresh water is counterbalanced
by the tides that bring salt water in through
the "channels" that open in the sandy strips.
It is a spectacular landscape, very impressive
for the amplitude of the lagoon; the "pialassa
della Baiona" has been recognized as
a "marshland of international importance"
according to the terms of the convention
of Ramsar for its function of safeguarding
the aquatic fowl.
The
Pinewoods
In 1905, Senator Luigi Rava
drew up the "Law for protection of
Ravenna's beachfront pinewoods"; the
draft law consisted of just two articles,
very brief but highly effective: by declaring
them government property not for sale or
development, the law activated policies
of conservation, care and expansion of the
pinewoods.
Undoubtedly, it was thanks to this law,
far-sighted even for today, that although
in many sections they are adjacent to important
industrial and manufacturing zones, the
pinewoods are still standing and have preserved
their charm intact, standing out as the
characterizing element of the landscape
and as an important nature area.
Among the most celebrated are those of St.
Vitale and Classe, the existence of
which can be attributed to the Roman settlers
who brought the domestic pine tree to Romagna
to supply the fleet based in Ravenna with
lumber.
The San Vitale pinewood is interesting for
different water-tables, giving rise to the
development of many different species of
bushes and shrubs; the underbrush is very
extensive in this woodland.
Another peculiar feature is the presence
of trees whose trunks emerge from the water.
The strip of floodland that runs through
the wood is populated by ducks and egrets.
The
Cervia Saltpan
Historical
notes:
The origins of the
saltpan are very ancient, possibly Greek
or even Etruscan. They cover an area of
827 hectares three kilometres from the sea,
bordered and defended by the canal that
surrounds them for a length of fourteen
kilometres.
A continuous influx of sea water is provided
by the Milano Marittima canal; rainwater
is drained off through the Porto-Canale
canal. The saltpan is government property
and the zone is included within the perimeter
of the regional Po delta park.
The political and economic history of Cervia
has revolved for over a thousand years
around its saltpan. At the present time,
it employs sixty workers in its production
plant.
Since their origins, saltpans have always
constituted an extraordinary ecosystem,
now protected by many laws designed to safeguard
their unquestionable environmental function.
Visitors can tour the ancient "Camillone"
salt pit and watch the harvesting of the
salt according to the old methods used until
1959; after that time salt was extracted
using a harvesting system similar to the
methods used in France, with mechanical
equipment.
The average annual production of salt is
28,000 tons.
Nature:
The great saltpan of
Cervia, characterized by silvery ponds in
the winter and blinding white heaps of salt
in the late summer, has always been frequented
by the many migratory species in transit
over the Italian peninsula at all times
of the year.
In the winter, the fresher ponds in the
northern sector of the saltpan are crowded
with many species of birds typical of briny
lagoons, while in the spring they fill up
with stilt birds of every size and species.
Among the many species of birds it is possible
to observe the rare sea partridge, the avocet
and the lapwing.
An interministry decree declared the saltpans
a "natural animal reproduction reserve"
in 1979.
The
Beaches of Ravenna
Extending over 35 kilometres, the Adriatic
coast near Ravenna boasts some of the most
popular beach resorts in Italy: between
the sea and the pinewoods, the
beaches belong to the municipalities of
Ravenna and Cervia. In addition to the long
beachfronts, they are characterized by the
quality of the services they offer and by
a hotel organization that receives hundreds
of thousands of tourists every year. There
are numerous opportunities for relaxation
and enjoyment offered by the beach resorts
where tourism is the main source of income.
At the
far end of the province of Ravenna, just
before the Reno river marks its border
with nearby Comacchio and Ferrara, Casalborsetti
has preserved the characteristics of the
ancient fishing village it once was.
This is
one of the favourites of visitors who
enjoy taking long walks in the pinewoods;
a few nice hotels, a peaceful atmosphere,
the sports facilities and the sea make
Marina Romea one of the most elegant seaside
resorts.
This is
the "historical" site along
the Ravenna coastline: hotel and restaurant
traditions go back more than a hundred
years. It is the favourite of lovers of
seafood and offers many attractions for
vacationers. The boat harbour has a capacity
of about 800 boats.
Located
in an enormous pinewood, with broad sandy
beaches equipped with all the comforts,
Punta Marina is also the site of a thermal
spa equipped for the therapeutic use of
sea water.
This is
one of the resorts preferred by young
people for their holidays, thanks largely
to the numerous campsites and the vicinity
to Ravenna (just 10 km); the town glitters
with shops and amusements, and is also
the site of an international school of
mosaic .
The smallest
of Ravenna's beach resorts, it is a paradise
for campers and those who like to spend
their vacations in a flat immersed in
the woods near the beach.
A few kilometres
from the basilica of St. Apollinare
in Classe, this modern resort has
excellently equipped beaches. It is located
near the mouth of the Bevano, an extraordinary
nature area with pinewoods and open beaches.
Lido di
Savio has more hotels than any beach resort
in the municipality of Ravenna, as well
as sports facilities for tennis, equitation
and boating.
A major
beach resort with broad, sandy beaches,
salt marshes and spas; with about 500
hotel complexes, 5000 flats and a dozen
campsites, spas, an 18-hole golf course,
cinemas and a sailing school, it is undoubtedly
the best equipped tourist resort on the
Adriatic coast of Ravenna.
In the evening, the pine-bordered streets
are lit up by the glittering shops and
night spots. All this makes Cervia/Milano
Marittima one of the most popular tourist
resorts in Europe.
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