Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve

October 12, 2018

Diaccia Botrona swamp (1)

Photographer: Piero Armando 
Summary Author: Piero Armando 

The Diaccia Botrona reserve is found in the area between Castiglione della Pescaia and Grosseto, of Tuscany, Italy. It's what remains of a once larger swampy area, the remnants of ancient Lake Prile. This lake was important for fishing and for salt extraction, both during the time of the Etruscans and the Romans. Even during the Middle Ages, it was a significant economic resource, but by the sixteenth century the lack of maintenance caused a lowering of the water level and eventually stagnation, with the consequent spread of the Anopheles mosquito and the insurgence of malaria.

Subsequently, in the seventeenth century, much of Lake Prile was reclaimed under the rule of the House of Lorraine. Land use reclamation ended in the 1950s. Today the Diaccia Botrona area is a vital ecosystem, having a wealth of both plant and animal species (including waterfowl such as flamingos, herons and egrets). It's now considered a genetic bank, crucial for maintaining the biodiversity of this area of Tuscany. Photo taken on July 26, 2018.

Photo Details: Camera Canon EOS 600D camera; 1/1600-1/640 second exposure; 7.1; ISO:200-400; 220-180 mm focal length.