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This oasis, established in 1998, is in the northern outskirts of Asti, in Valmanera district; owned by the Municipality of Asti and managed by the WWF, it covers about 5.000 acres of protected land and has been acknowledged as a SIC (Site of Community Interest).

The whole area is an important Mediterranean relic of the hot post-glacial period, which appeared on the hills of Monferrato about 15.000 years ago and has now almost disappeared in northern Italy. In particular, this oasis is made of a hilly deciduous forest of about 25 acres and includes a stretch of the Valmanera Stream, with a brand new educational pond and wet meadows.

Inside the oasis, three Nature Trails have been set up and fitted with notice boards, as well as educational panels.
The main building in the oasis, Villa Paolina, houses the Environmental Education Centre and, for some years now, it has hosted a University School of Biodiversity, created and managed in collaboration with the University of Asti and the Universities of Turin and Eastern Piedmont.
A second building, originally used as a stable and a barn – recently restored to its original appearance – is now used as a hostel.

Flora
The vegetation includes English oaks (Quercus robur), hornbeams (Carpnus betulus), field maples (Acer campestre), chestnuts (Castanea sativa), wild cherries (Prunus avium), wild service trees (Sorbus torminalis), and downy oaks (Quercus pubescens); the undergrowth is made of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), European spindle (Euonymus europaeus), juniper (Juniperus spp.), and Calluna vulgaris.
There are also some wetlands, an avenue of mulberry trees (Morus alba), some meadows facing south, rich in botanical rarities, and the largest and best-preserved cistus (Cistus spp.) specimens in lower Monferrato.

Fauna
Among the mammals, there are badgers, foxes, two species of shrew, hares, hedgehogs, dormice, squirrels, two species of bats, and stone martens. Bird species include large colonies of green woodpeckers and great spotted woodpeckers; in addition, there are lesser spotted woodpeckers, European bee-eaters, buzzards, kestrels, goshawks, nightjars, hoopoes, orioles, various species of tits, the long-tailed tits, and wrens.
Among the reptiles, there are green whip snakes, slow worms, grass snakes, green lizards, and wall lizards. Amphibian species include green frogs, toads, and Northern crested newts.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)