Special nature reserve of the Burcina Park
The Special Nature Reserve of the Park Burcina - Felice Piacenza is a protected forest area of 57 hectares, established by a law of the Piedmont Region in 1980 and located between the municipalities of Pollone and Biella . The municipality of Biella owns almost three quarters of the total area.
It lies at an altitude of 570 to 829 meters above sea level.
The reserve is located on the Colle (or bric ) Burcina hill and serves to preserve the natural, ecological and landscape features of the area. In addition, there is the upgrading of the activities of the protected area and the promotion of the scientific, cultural and didactic activities of the place, especially in the interest of the schools.
The administration is entrusted to a specially created independent body.
geography
Burcina is a rounded wooded hill, on the summit of which the border between the municipalities of Pollone and Biella runs. The north-eastern slopes belong to the catchment basin of the Oropa torrent, while the southwest slopes, on which the park is located, feed the Oremo torrent. A saddle at a height of 730 meters connects the Bric with the rest of the Bielle Alps. Due to its relatively isolated position, Burcina is easy to spot in much of the Biella area.
archeology
Some finds in the area of the park attest the presence of Homo sapiens in a time that is 35,000 years ago.
The presence of a prehistoric settlement from the Bronze and Iron Ages has also been proven on Bric Burcina .
Historical notes
The park, which mimics the natural environment, is accessible from the main roads that lead to Biella.
It is named after Felice Piacenza, the main promoter of the green area and the son of the first to acquire the area, d. H. Giovanni Piacenza, a native of Pollone in the wool industry , who decided in the first half of the 19th century to turn the Burcina Hill into a park, taking inspiration from landscaped gardens, which have been very fashionable in England since the 18th century .
The first exotic plants to be settled here (large sequoia ) concerned the lower part of the hill, where, at the same time as the first paths were set up in 1848, a small lake with fountains, which still exists today, was created.
The expansion of the park was continued by Felice Piacenza, who devoted more than fifty years of his life to this, creating a spectacular rhododendron basin, paths, streets and alleys and, of course, other exotic species.
The park was acquired by the municipality of Biella in 1934 and underwent further changes in the period after the Second World War with the opening of a new access road over the bridge of the Rio Vandorba, designed by the architect Pietro Porcinai. A bronze bust of Felice Piacenza made by the sculptor Leonardo Bistolfi was also placed. In 1959 the first archaeological materials from prehistory were found, including a few axes and a bronze jug.
chronology
- 1850s: The industrialist Giovanni Piacenza (1811–1883) acquired part of the Burcina hill to create a botanical park.
- 1900s: Felice, son of Giovanni (1843–1938), continued his father's work.
- 1930s: The municipality of Biella acquired the park in 1934 and gradually expanded it to today's 57 hectares.
- 1950s:
- Enzo, son of Felice (1892–1968), gave the park a new entrance on the side of the village of Pollone in 1950 at the will of his father.
- In 1959 archaeological finds were made on the hill of Burcina.
- 1960s: In 1967 the entire area of Biella was hit by a violent tornado, which also caused severe damage to the park.
- 1980s:
- On April 24, 1980, the Piedmont Region created the special nature reserve Parco Burcina - Felice Piacenza.
- Guido, Enzo's son, became President of the Ente Gestione Parco (park administration).
Cradle of rhododendrons, imitation of nature
From the Burcina Park - as it is quite simply called - you have a 180 ° view that stretches from the moraine hills of the Serra of Ivrea to the plain around Biella towards the Canavese area ( Turin ) and the rice fields of the Vercelli province .
The park has three entrances: one at the foot of the hill, one at medium height and one at the top. It is entirely reserved for pedestrians (disabled access by car is only allowed on Thursdays) and is known all over the world for its extraordinary hollow of rhododendrons, which 2 of the 57 hectares are reserved for, and whose inflorescence is fully developed in May and June .
The garden-park
The forest forms the natural background of the Burcina Park, the summit of which can be reached by a road that leads to the Torre Martini above.
The landscaped garden has been purposely made informal and designed to highlight the eye catching nature. The plants are only apparently arranged at random and are intended to imitate what happens in nature. The forests alternate with meadows and clearings, large trees stand in isolation to better express their majesty.
The exotic species have been incorporated into the local flora, which includes the typical deciduous trees of the latitudes of the Mediterranean :
Fauna of the park
The Burcina Park also has interesting aspects in terms of fauna and birdwatching . The following mammal species are present:
The following resident or migrating birds can be observed:
- sparrow
- robin
- Warbler
- Titmouse
- Chaffinch
- blackbird
- Bunting
- Sparrowhawk
- Grosbeak
- Pied flycatcher
- magpie
- jay
- crow
- Crow
- Common raven
Near the cradle of the rhododendrons
Near the cradle of the rhododendrons
The park
A small lake
panorama
