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This Reserve covers an area of about 1.730 acres and is located among the municipalities of Nazzano, Torrita Tiberina, and Montopoli in Sabina.
Its history is linked to the construction of an artificial dam by Enel, between 1953 and 1955, and to the morphology of the Tiber River, with large loops and meanders in this area.
The river and the intersecting Farfa Torrent have created Lake Nazzano, full of wetland flora and fauna: willows (Salix spp.), Poplars (Populus spp.), alders (Alnus spp.), common reeds (Phragmites australis) and broadleaf cattails (Typha latifolia).

The lake is also the perfect habitat for many birds – a fauna protection oasis has, in fact, been established right there.
Mallards, teals, wigeons, tufted ducks, coots, kingfishers, marsh harriers and ospreys are a quite common sight.
Other species can be found, where the reedbeds are thinner, like pondweeds (Potamogeton), water ferns (Azolla filiculoidese), and common duckweeds (Lemna minor) with tiny, rounded leaves.
This habitat is very important also for fish, insects, and amphibians, such as the smooth newts, and common water frogs.
The river valley, with clay, sand and gravel, is bordered by hills of marine origin. Those hilly slopes feature black locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia), evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex), downy oaks (Quercus pubescense), Turkey oaks (Quercus cerris), Judas trees (Cercis siliquastrum), South European flowering ashes (Fraxinus ornus), European hop-hornbeams (Ostrya carpinifolia), field maples (Acer campestre), and Montpellier maples (Acer monspessulanum).
Shrub species include European spindles (Euonymus europaeus), lentisks (Pistacia Lentiscus), deciduous shrubs (Viburnum spp.), and green olive trees (Phyllirea latifolia).

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)