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This educational forest is located in the province of Cremona and ever since its creation in 1987, it has constantly expanded also thanks to the almost total lack of agricultural activities in the surrounding area.

In the past, it used to be just a cave, therefore the ground was originally cleaned and restored, before actually planting any trees.

The Province of Cremona and the Lombardy Region have established an experimental station for the conservation of the autochthonous plain flora right here. There are 62 acres of protected area that serve as a true catalogue of the native arboreal, shrubby and herbaceous species of the Po River Valley.

There is also about one kilometre of walkways for the visitors, packed with information points and a visitor centre. A wide range of activities is offered within the forest, including educational workshops and a facility for care and recovery of the endangered wildlife (CRAS). The latter is not open to the public, but on Sundays, visitors can observe some animals being released into their natural environment.

The forest includes Cascina Stella, a renovated building, now home to an eco-museum. The latter was built to spread the knowledge of the physical, natural and anthropic dynamics that have configured the territory of the Po River Valley as we know it today.

Flora

The plant species populating the forest include Populus nigra, Populus alba, Populus canescens, herbaceous plants like Pisum sativum and Viola odorata, and aquatic varieties like Nymphoides peltata.

On the official website, visitors can find detailed information about the plants, the animals and the mushroom species found in the forest.

A nearby must-see:

In the neighbouring town of Castelleone, it is possible to visit Torre del Leone – the remains of an ancient fortress – the church of Santa Maria in Bressanoro, and the parish church dating back to the XVI century.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)