At the far north of the Lario lies the regional nature reserve of the Pian di Spagna, an alluvial plain of just under 1,600 hectares, at about 200 metres, where the Adda and the Mera separated Lake Como from Lake Mezzola: reedbeds, open water and farmland, with about 200 bird species observed, in an internationally recognised wetland.
History
Two thousand years ago Lake Como and Lake Mezzola were a single sheet of water, which reached as far as the Chiavenna plain. The floods of the Adda piled up earth and debris until they closed the lake with a vast marsh, unhealthy, hard to live in and impossible to farm. The great reclamation works were carried out in the 19th century, under the Austrians: the Adda was diverted towards the northern basin of the Lario and the Borgofrancone canal was dug to collect the waters from Monte Legnone (Como e il suo Lago). The name recalls Spanish rule: the Count of Fuentes built a fort here, the Forte di Fuentes, to control the border with the Grisons.
The reserve is regional and its date of establishment varies with the source: the managing body’s site says 1983, in application of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands, while the Atlas of Italian parks reports the regional council resolution of 6 February 1985. It is part of the European Natura 2000 network.
What to see
The area covers five municipalities, Sorico and Gera Lario in the province of Como, Dubino, Verceia and Novate Mezzola in the province of Sondrio. Around it rise the Monte Berlinghera (1,930 metres), the Sasso Manduino (2,888) and the Monte Legnone (2,609). According to the Atlas of parks three environments can be told apart: cultivated areas, the open water and the wet strip. The largest reedbed, north of the Pian di Spagna, is dominated by the common reed, sometimes with bulrush; in the Borgofrancone canal you see water lilies and yellow water lilies; on the south shore of Lake Mezzola, where the environment is best preserved, there are sedge beds.
On the water live grebes and a few dozen mute swans; in the reedbeds marsh passerines such as the reed warbler and the great reed warbler, and the little bittern nests; you also see herons, coots, mallards, night herons and moorhens (Atlas of parks, Wikipedia). Among mammals, fox, badger, red deer, roe deer and wild boar. On the western shore of Lake Mezzola, along the via Regina, is the oratory of San Fedelino, reached on foot or by boat from Novate Mezzola.
Getting there
The managing body’s site lists five routes: Casenda or Dascio-Tempietto di San Fedelino (about 3 hours on foot according to a Valtellina site); Baletrone-Cascina Poncetta; Ponte del Passo-Lago di Dascio-Sasso di Dascio, good for birdwatching; Ponte del Passo-La Punta-river Mera; Trivio di Fuentes-Foce dell’Adda-Lodoletta. The last is a dirt road that can also be done by bicycle, about 3 hours on foot, recommended from January to May and from November to December (parks.it). The Ponte del Passo is the starting point of two routes. Times, difficulty and trail conditions change with the season and should be checked before setting out.
Practical information
- The reserve is open all year and access is free; it is best to avoid the hottest hours of summer and for some routes a Reserve guide is recommended or needed.
- The visitor centre is at via della Torre 1/A in Sorico: phone 0344 84251, email info@piandispagna.it, site piandispagna.it. There is parking at the main access points.
- The position on the map is approximate, because the reserve is an extended area and not a point: for this reason the page shows no map.
Sources
- Pian di Spagna and Lago di Mezzola Nature Reserve, official site
- Atlante dei parchi, Riserva Naturale Regionale Pian di Spagna Lago di Mezzola and Parks.it, Riserva Naturale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola
- Como e il suo Lago, Riserva naturale Pian di Spagna and Calendario Valtellinese, Riserva Naturale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola
- Wikipedia, Riserva naturale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola entry.