Nature reserve of Fondotoce The Fondotoce Special Nature Reserve on a surface of 365 hectares, stretches out on the final section of the Toce River. The protected area is the last bastion of the wetlands. It has an high level of biodiversity. The most popular enviroment in the nature is the reed bed. The Common reed is the ideal ecosystem for its numerous lake fish to reproduce and for some 100 bird species

The importance of the reed bed is also due to its fundamental function as a “green filter”. The reed absorb numerous pollutants thus contributing to purifying the water. As for the flora, there are different types of willows, two rare ferns only found in wetlands and rich aquatic vegetation. The Reserve is a shelter for over 200 species of birds. Endemic species of water chestnut Trapanatans verbanensis.

The ecological succession in wetlands Ecological succession is the gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem caused by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established In the ecological succession are involved different kinds of plants according to the amount of water: SUBMERGENT PLANTS Plants that have most of their structures below water FLOATING-LEAF PLANTS Plants that have floating leaves on the surface of the water

The rushes PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS or REED The rushes marks the passage beetwen water and land, the rushes host a great variety of animal species: among around 25 species of fishes, 200 species of birds and caracteristic species of plants: the reeds PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS or REED It can grow in damp ground, in standing water up to 1 metre or so deep, or even as a floating mat. the reed plants grow in areas with hot summers and fertile growing conditions. They have been used to make arrows. The elastic structure of the plant can act as a great wood structure. In many European countries Reeds have been used extensively for many centuries in the construction of thatched roofs.

THE SHRUBS THE RIPARIAN WOODS SALIX TRIANDRA or ALMOND WILLOW The shrubs are small trees growing to 10 meter tall usually multistemmed, with an irregular, often leaning crown. Untily the 60s the willows of this areas has been cutted to obtain flexible ties for vines and vegetables gardens The riparian woods forms along the banks of watercourses. In these periodically flooded areas, white willow is prevalent, togheter with poplars and alders. Today this wood is left to its natural evolution: dead plants are not removed since they constitute an important stage in the life cycle of the wood. SALIX TRIANDRA or ALMOND WILLOW SALIX ALBA or WHITE WILLOW

Grazie Kiitos Alessandro,Chiara,Jennifer,Eeva,Antti, Henna