VALLE MANDRIOLE (or Valle della Canna, lit. Lagoon of the reeds) is a flooded area of about 250 hectars that originated from the extraordinary flood of the Lamone river in 1839, and survived various reclamation works to become an emergency watershed for the city, but it has never been used for this purpose.
Its name comes from the abundance of common reed, which was much used in the past for the processing of marsh grass.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The lagoon is fed by the waters of the Reno river and is periodically subject to drainings and floods fostering the development of vegetation and acquatic life.
Some prosperous plant species are broadleaf cattail and rushes, white waterlily and grey sallow, salicornia and fen. As far as the fauna is concerned, the lagoon is very rich in bird species: swans, grey herons, purple herons and great egrets, black-crowned night-herons, squacco herons, little egrets, pygmy cormorants, glossy ibises and Eurasian spoonbills.
Among the fish and reptiles, particularly noteworthy is the presence of tortoises.
The spectacular area of the lagoon can be observed from above from the two equipped observation towers. The first one is located beside the Romea State Road, under the embankment of the Lamone river; the second one is about 2 km north, next to Ca’ del Chiavichino (not visible from the main road), and can also be reached from Tenuta Augusta.
