Daccia Botrona Natural Reserve

It is an area once covered by Lake Prile or Preaglo, now drained by reclamation works made to fight malaria.
International conventions have established a high-value wetland for the conservation of plant species. The area has also been recognized as “of great importance for the stopping, wintering, and nesting of aquatic birdlife” of different species.

Diaccia Botrona is home to the largest wintering waterfowl and has characteristic florist populations with numerous rare hygrophilous species.
The conservation of these protected areas is becoming increasingly important due to the changes occurring progressively for different causes.

For example, the change in the salinity of the water has caused some species to be reduced and others to increase. Or the discharge of wastewater that affects the balance of the wetland.

Wetlands unreachable by terrestrial predators decrease, and at the same time, the presence of invasive alien species increases.
The area is very close to summer tourist interest areas, which causes disturbance to the area’s protection.

However, among the nature reserve activities, an attempt is made to maintain the pre-existing environment of the freshwater swamp with reed.
An attempt is being made to maintain the possibility of nesting species in the area and preserve the pine forest to protect endangered species.

All these activities make Diaccia Botrona a great natural conservation laboratory precious for the whole region.

Above all, the presence of man and his activities are the object of research to find a way to make nature and human presence coexist in harmony.
Even the tourist activity that brings wealth and works to this area is not incompatible with conserving the environment. It would be a defeat for everyone to ruin and destroy natural harmony to develop tourism that should benefit from it.

The contradiction is obvious, and we must ensure that man maintains great attention to the conservation of nature and its beauty.

If the Maremma were to become a place polluted and depopulated by its animal and plant species, what would be the point of going there on holiday?