The WETLANDS
in the lagoni di Mercurago park
Blue path (about 8,5 Km long)
The wetlands are the "real heart" of the Lagoni Park from both naturalistic and geographic point of view.
They are mostly constituted by swamps and ponds formed by the melting of the glaciers that shaped this region about 10.000 years ago.
Inside and close to the wetlands rare species of aquatic and swampy flora are preserved; but normally they are visible only if pointed out by an expert guide. Moreover some species of migratory birds can be found here, together with many amphibians and other species of the aquatic insects.
The path starts from "Stra' di Pianel da Gattic", close to the Park's visitor centre. At the end of a short climb, turn right to "Stra' dal Bagain". Pass by a small depression, sometime submerged; take the left path that leads to the former farmstead "Camotta" (today restructured), leaving on the right side two small swampy areas where are visible the Carex elata, the Juncus bulbosus and the Utricularia spp. .
Passing by the farmstead "Camotta", the pond "della Camotta", on the left of the path, is a clear example of the phenomenon of natural filling that interests most of the humid zones of the Park: a wide area of Caricetum elatae it is made dense by the presence of Sphagnum spp. . On the banks an in summer the delicate carnivorous Utricularia vulgaris is also visible.
"Stra' di Lagon" and the "Lagone" can be reached at the end of the path, turning left at each crossing, through "Stra' d'la Puul", "Sente' di Busch" and "Stra' di Pianel da Gatic".
On the left of the path is still partially visible a moat that about 60 years ago was connecting the pond of the Camotta and the Lagone. The Lagone is the more "young looking" pond of this park.
Normally its inhabitants are "Germano Reale" (italian name for Anas platyrhynchos) and "Gallinella d'acqua" (water hen - Gallinula chloropus). Rarer are "Aironi" (herons - Ardea cinerea, usually seen nearby the "Camotta") and Cormorani (cormorants - Phalacrocorax carbo).
The vegetation of the wetlands is composed by a different species related directly to the progressive filling.
You can go all around the most important humid zones, the "la Torbera", by walking trough "Stra' di Sell", "Sente' dal Foss", "Sente' dal Laghett" and "Stra' d'la Buscarola".
The humid zone of "la Torbera", almost completely filled and relatively isolated, is composed by some small sheets of water where the "Tuffetto" (Tachybaptus ruficollis), the "Gallinella d'acqua" and the "Germano Reale" are visible. More often and in other areas the "Martin Pescatore" (kingfisher - Alcedo atthis) can also be found.
Moreover another small carnivorous species, the Drosera intermedia, lives in the area.
Turning back into "Stra' di Lagon" and, at its end, on "Stra' di Pianel da Gatic", you can reach again the visitor centre of the Park.
Translated by Stefano Rossi
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This page has been updated on January 18th 2005