A unique environment to discover
Surrounded by the wildlife reservoir Parco regionale del Delta del Po, the Valleys of Argenta are considered among the largest freshwater wetlands in northern Italy. Their suggestive landscape tells the story of the symbiosis between the locals and their water.
The wetland began to form around the twelfth century, when a branch of the Po river could no longer receive the water of the many minor rivers that flowed here. The flood waters of the torrents formed a large freshwater which was only reclaimed at the beginning of the 20th century. Today the valleys are used during as emergency basins during the flood season to receive the water surplus, which is later discharged into the Reno river using locks and water pumps. There are three main compartments: Cassa Campotto, Valle Santa, Cassa Bassarone. These oasis are recognized as “Wetland of international interest” by the Ramsar Convention in 1972, “Oasis for the safeguard and protection of fauna and flora” in 1977.
In 1995 it became a Natura 2000 Network site, because of its location along migratory routes, which makes it a fundamental area for wintering, resting and breeding of numerous species of birds.