Parco Regionale della Maremma

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Aerial view of the northern part of the park - on the left the coast, on the right the Torre di Collelungo

The Parco Regionale della Maremma ( officially Parco Naturale della Maremma in the EUAP as of 2003 and colloquially also Parco dell'Uccellina ) is a nature reserve in the south of Tuscany south of Grosseto . It was established in 1975 and extends over an area of ​​approx. 9800 ha along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea between the towns of Principina a Mare in the north, Alberese in the east and Talamone in the south. The area is a largely natural and intact ecosystem.

landscape

The nature park includes all typical Maremma landscape formations . these are

  • in the access area near Alberese cultivated pastures and extensive pine forests,
  • in the estuary of the Ombrone river marshes, shallow inland lakes with small dunes and
  • on the rocky slopes of the 400 m mountain range of Monti dell'Uccellina Mediterranean scrub vegetation and holm oak forests .

The landscape is made accessible by marked hiking trails that lead to various sights.

Attractions

Wetland near the Ombrone Estuary
Alberese natural beach
  • The abbey ruins of San Rabano are relics of a Benedictine abbey ( Monasterium Arborense ) founded in 1101 , which was converted into a fortress in the 14th century and was a bone of contention between Pisa and Siena ; the Sienese, who were victorious in the end, had it demolished in 1438. Parts of the monastery church and the crossing tower have been preserved.
  • Several watchtowers date partly from Pisan, partly from Florentine times, in order to see attacks by the Saracens from the sea. The Torre della Trappola is on the Ombrone River and is privately owned. Circular hiking trails lead to the towers of Torre di Castel Marino (possibly 13th century), Torre di Collellungo and Torre Cala di Forno (both built under Cosimo I de 'Medici ). Excursions from the south go to the Torre Rivolta and the Torre Cannelle (16th century). The tower next to the abbey church of San Rabano ( Torre dell'Uccellina ) was also a watchtower. Other towers are inaccessible deep in the maquis.
  • In the area of ​​the Ombrone river mouth , the historical water regulation systems for the controlled discharge of river water into the side canals have been preserved. There is also a nature trail on the formation of the marshland and a bird watching station. In the wetlands, the salt water of the sea mixes with the fresh water of the river, so that both freshwater and sea fish can be found here at the same time. The natural beach of Alberese stretches 6 kilometers from the river mouth to below the abbey ruins, but only about 2 km are approved as hiking area.
  • Prehistoric caves testify to the settlement of the area since the Paleolithic (up to approx. 12,000 years ago). Tools from Neanderthals (Homo sapiens neadertalensis) have been found in large numbers and are of historical and paleontological importance. The oldest finds were made in the Grotta dello Scoglietto in the north of the park. Apparently this cave was used for a very long time, as dozens of burials from the Bronze Age were found. Particularly noteworthy are human skulls with traces of drill holes.
Also in the northern part of the park is the Grotta della Fabbrica . Numerous tools from the Middle and New Stone Age (approx. 5600-4900 BC) were found there. These are scraping tools, spearheads, stone wedges and bones of wild animals (deer, roe deer, aurochs, wild donkeys, horses, as well as brown bears, wolves, hyenas and cave lions). This grotto is very visible from the road to the Marina Alberese.
In the Grotta del Golino near Talamone in the south of the park, numerous finds were suspected. However, improper excavations (1865 and 1912) destroyed a lot. The objects found date from the Middle Stone Age (approx. 9600-5600 BC).

Wildlife

Extensively kept pets

Maremma beef

On both sides of the road to Marina di Alberese there are pastures for the Maremma horse ( cavallo maremmano ) and the Maremmana , a special type of cattle that only occurs in the Maremma, which is larger than domestic cattle , gray-angular and with large horns.

Wildlife

Wild boar , porcupine , fox and hare, fallow deer and badger live in the surrounding macchia zones of the Uccellina range of hills .

Remote rocky areas offer habitats for rarer animal species such as the wildcat and the stone marten .

Primarily, however, the Parco Naturale della Maremma sees itself as a bird sanctuary. Many species of birds live here all year round; In addition, the park is winter quarters and summer nesting areas for migratory birds.

Bird species present all year round

In addition to many European songbird species that also live outside the nature park, there are birds of prey such as buzzards and kestrels and nocturnal birds such as barn owls and eagle owls in the field and forest areas in all seasons . The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) finds ideal nesting sites on the rock faces of the mountain range.

The wetlands in particular are rich in species, here mallards , coots , gray herons and great egrets are represented all year round. Even endangered species such as the European roller (Coracias garrulus) , the jay cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and others find suitable breeding areas there.

Migratory birds

In the Uccelina mountain range with forests and macchia vegetation, the cuckoo , nightingale , jay and other songbird species breed in summer and migrate further south in winter.

The wren , the woodcock and the robin migrate to these areas for wintering from the north .

A common summer breeding bird in the area of ​​the Ombrone estuary is the bee eater , entire colonies line the river courses in the warm months, where they dig passages in overhanging sand walls or in the ground for breeding.

Some additional species of duck (e.g. wigeon and diving duck ) overwinter in the shallow water lakes of this area . Golden plover , lapwing , curlew and wild geese are added every year. Furthermore, smaller bird species such as kingfisher , reed warbler and bag-titan migrate from northern climes to southern Tuscany in the winter months.

Resettlement of the osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

The osprey (Italian Falco pescatore ) is sensitive to changes in its habitat. In the middle of the 20th century it was increasingly pushed back. Hunting, nest robbery and environmental toxins led to the fact that the osprey almost died out in the Mediterranean area. There were still small stocks in Corsica , the Balearic Islands and on the North African coast in Algeria and Morocco.

Rearing was successful in the Réserve naturelle de Scandola on Corsica. Thanks to good contacts between the parks in Corsica and in the Maremma, a resettlement project was implemented in the Parco Regionale della Maremma : 40-day-old young birds were caught in Corsica and released in the Parco dell'Uccellina ; between 2006 and 2010, a total of 33 chicks were relocated become. In the ideal habitat for them at the Ombrone estuary, the bird species became home again: In 2011 a pair brooded for the first time.

Water balance

Drainage of the Alberese swamp

Like other parts of the Maremma, the area of ​​Alberese and the mouth of the Ombrone were very swampy. As a result, malaria was very common and the drinking water was often not clean.

Leopold II , Grand Duke of Tuscany, began to renovate his Alberese estate in 1828. This project was part of extensive measures to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants on the coasts of Tuscany. The political turmoil of the Risorgimento forced the popular Granduca to resign in 1859. In the following years the government of the young state of Italy would have been responsible for the continuation of the work, but these tasks were neglected. Leopold's son and last Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand IV , continued his father's work and made great efforts to drain the swamp in Alberese.

The water is drained away with a well-thought-out system of canals, a difficult task due to the low gradient near the sea. A network of smaller and larger canals leads to the two main drainage canals, the Canale Essicatore (literally: drainage canal ) and the Canale Scaricatore (literally: drainage canal) water. The total length of all canals is 45 km. A suction pump was installed at the mouth of the Ombrone (Idrovaro San Paolo) , which regulates the river itself with an effective lock system: the locks invented by Leonardo da Vinci (porte vinciane) allow fresh water to flow out when the sea level is lower than that of the river When the tide is high, the sluice gates are pushed inwards by the rising water so that salt water can no longer penetrate.

Around 1840 work began on sowing the seeds of various types of pine in the now dry zone by the sea . These are the pine (Pinus pinea) , the Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster) and the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) . On the one hand, this should strengthen the dunes and prevent them from walking, while at the same time protecting the cultivated fields from the sea wind. The seeds of the pine trees mature and are harvested in three years.

The drainage work was a complete success, among other things the hygienic conditions of the population improved, the number of deaths fell sharply: In 1841 the Alberese estate had only 26 inhabitants, in 1919 there were already 220 people.

The structures for water regulation were repaired again in the years 2010 to 2013: the suction pump and locks were renewed, and a mighty wall was built parallel to the coastline. It is supposed to stop the erosion of the coast and the salinisation of the swamp waters. In the course of this work, the temporarily closed nature trail and the bird watching station, which is also no longer accessible, were rebuilt on more stable foundations. Further work is underway and planned.

Mouth of the Ombrone

The Ombrone just before it flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea

In historical times the Ombrone carried a lot of sand and debris. The material was deposited in the estuary, and a sizable delta formed.

Since the mid-1950s, however, the coastline has changed dramatically and shifted inland. The older residents of the Maremma believe this is due to the construction of the port of Punta Ala further north. The ocean currents would have changed as a result of the massive interventions.

Other influences should not be overlooked: after the devastating floods of 1966, the river and its tributaries in the lower reaches were rehabilitated and canalized. Thus, it carries significantly less debris. Waves and currents of the sea can thus have a stronger effect and wash away the sediments in the estuary.

Finally, trawls from fishing boats and the anchors of yachts damage the seabed off the coast.

The fact is that the coast at the mouth of the Ombrone was pushed back 350 m inland between 1954 and 1985. The beach facilities of Marina di Alberese such as bathing houses, restaurants etc. had to be abandoned, roads and hiking trails are no longer accessible or have completely disappeared. The delta was eroded more and more, today the river mouth presents itself more as a funnel mouth. It goes without saying that these changes also have a major impact on vegetation and bird life. The erosion continues.

Change in the water table

The erosion of the coast and the increasing consumption of groundwater for agriculture in the region mean that the groundwater has an ever higher salinity. This also has an effect on the vegetation: Many plants, especially the pine trees, are increasingly drying up. This is particularly evident at the north and south end of the Parco Regionale della Maremma.

Access

General information

The park is open all year round, every day of the week. Exceptions exist in the hottest season.
The entrance tickets for the park visit are available at the ticket offices of the visitor centers.
Only the visitor centers of Alberese and Talamone as well as a chargeable parking lot on the beach ( Marina di Alberese 42 ° 38 ′ 56.18 ″  N , 11 ° 2 ′ 7.6 ″  E ) are allowed with your own car . Warning: there is only a certain number of cars available; access is regulated by a barrier. From the visitor center in Alberese there are regular buses for hikers to the nature park (to Pratini, starting point of four hiking trails) and for bathers to the sandy beach in Marina di Alberese. In the summer, catering in Marina di Alberese.

Tips for park visitors

The park is best visited outside of summer. Fall, winter and spring are recommended. It can get very hot in summer.
For longer hikes you have to take enough water with you to drink, because there are neither springs nor fountains on the way.
Good footwear (hiking boots) is highly recommended for the hikes, because the paths are sometimes stony and steep.
Before visiting the park, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the visitor centers.
There are several options for renting bicycles in Alberese.

There are also guided excursions outside of the generally accessible paths and at special times (game viewing, bird excursions, night hikes, canoe trips). Information in the visitor center.

Alberese starting point

From Alberese there are seven hiking trails of different lengths and levels of difficulty. In midsummer, the A3 (from Pratini to the caves) and A4 (from Pratini to Cala del Forno) hiking trails are closed. This is a measure to prevent forest fires.

For the same reason, the A1 (from Pratini to San Rabano) and A2 (from Pratini to the towers) paths can only be walked in guided groups during this period.

Starting point Talamone

From Talamone, three hiking trails lead into the park. The hiking trails around Talamone can only be reached via the Caprarecce Visitor Center. No access in summer during the hottest part of the day (protection against forest fires)

Marina di Alberese

From the road to Marina di Alberese, a path branches off towards the mouth of the Ombrone. The bird watching station has been rebuilt on the river. Lots of information about the birds to be observed. Binoculars recommended.

behaviour rules

  • Always stay on the marked paths.
  • Respect the environment. So don't take stones with you and step carefully onto the sand dunes.
  • Respect plants and animals, so don't collect specimens.
  • Avoid noise.
  • Do not leave any waste, not even organic, behind.
  • Making a fire is strictly forbidden at any time and anywhere.
  • Everything that could cause a fire must be avoided (broken glass!)
  • In the case of fences, use the pedestrian passages and leave the gates as they are found.
  • Do not touch or feed any wild animals (the foxes are sometimes very trusting!). This can help prevent dangerous bites and the transmission of diseases.
  • Pets (dogs) are not allowed in the park, not even on a leash.

See also

literature

  • Giunta regional toscana (ed.), Zeffiro Ciuffoletti, Giuseppe Geurrini: Il Parco della Maremma, Storia e natura. Marsilio Editori, Venice 1989
  • Elena Tangheroni Amatori: Il Parco Regionale della Maremma e il suo territorio. Una guida per conoscere e capire. Pacini Editore, Ospedaletto 2007
  • Consulenza e Servizi per il Territorio: Maremma Regional Park. Hiking trails between history and nature. Inprogress, Florence 2006

Web links

Commons : Parco Naturale della Maremma  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Information for park visitors .
  2. ^ Giunta regional toscana (eds.), Coordinamento Zeffiro Ciuffoletti and Giuseppe Guerrini: Il Parco della Maremma. Storia e natura. Marsilio Editori, Venice 1989, pp. 11-19
  3. ↑ Il ritorno del Falco Pescatore , project information on the website of the Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma di Grosseto , accessed on October 13, 2013 (Italian)
  4. ↑ Le Bonifiche ( Memento of May 16, 2013 in the Internet Archive ). History of drainage on the park's website (Italian).
  5. ↑ Maremma Regional Park, hiking trails between history and nature. Consulenza e Servizi per il Territorio, Florence 2006, p. 76.
  6. ^ Atlante della bonifica Toscana. Edizioni Medicea Firenze, Florence 2012, p. 45 ff.
  7. ↑ Park website (Italian and English)

Coordinates: 42 ° 40 ′ 7.24 "  N , 11 ° 6 ′ 15.22"  E