| Le Bine Nature Reserve | |
 | |
| Area type | Oriented nature reserve |
|---|---|
| State | Italy |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Territory | Cremona, Mantua |
| Surface | 96.45 ha |
| Foundation year | 1987 |
| Institutional website | |
There Le Bine Nature Reserve is located in Lombardy.
To know
Geographical notes
The reserve is included in the South Oglio Park and is halfway between Mantua, Cremona, Parma is Brescia along the Oglio river and in particular between Calvatone ed Acquanegra sul Chiese. It develops around a vast meander of the Oglio river still connected to it but also with spring water supplies. In fact, the origin of the swamp is not natural, but is a consequence of an artificial rectification of the Oglio, which took place in the 18th century to facilitate navigation. The abandoned meander has gradually become swampy, favoring the colonization of plant and animal species typical of the marshy areas.
Flora and fauna
The most important part from a naturalistic point of view is the marshy one.
Within the reserve there are numerous animal species including ducks, waders, herons, birds of prey, passerines, badgers.
When to go
Entry to Le Bine is possible all year round and is free.
Background
It was established by the Lombardy region with Council Decree No. 769 of 1 October 1987. The oasis is private, even the swamp, and the reserve was established thanks to a policy aimed at preserving the environment. In the years 1972 and 1973 the local population was concerned that the area was maintained and preserved from any reclamation. The appeal was accepted by the WWF and on 10 May 1973 the area was declared a "wildlife oasis".
Currently three subjects gravitate in the area: the property, the WWF with conservation policies, study and teaching activities, and a farm that promotes an agritourism activity and biocompatible agriculture. All this makes the oasis the most developed among the reserves of the Province of Cremona and Mantua in terms of sustainable use.
In the area there are renaturalization interventions (replacement of cultivated areas with woods and ponds), while in the agricultural areas the poplar cultivation, prevalent until 2002, was subsequently replaced by mixed plants with native broadleaf trees partly destined for cutting (in rotation) partly destined to become a forest.
How to get
By plane
- Parma Airport (43 km)
- Milan Linate Airport (110 km)
- Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport (100 km)
By car
 | ATTENTION: For those coming from Brescia is Verona reaching Acquanegra sul Chiese pay attention! The iron bridge over the Oglio river is narrow and with a capacity limited to 3.5 tons. So if you have a camper or large vehicles it is advisable to arrive from the side of Calvatone. |
- From Brescia: A21 motorway towards Turin until the Cremona exit; follow the direction Mantova, continue on the SS 10 "Padana Inferiore" and follow the signs for Calvatone.
- From Cremona: Take the SS 10 "Padana Inferiore" to Calvatone.
Permits / Rates
Nobody; Free admission.
How to get around
What see
What to do
- Guided tours, ☎ 39 348 3850901, @[email protected].
Shopping
Where to eat
- Al Ponte Restaurant, Ponte Oglio road (alongside the bridge), ☎ 39 0376 727182.
Where stay
- 1 Le Bine farmhouse, Strada Bine, 1424, ☎ 39 348 3850901. in the cottage of the farm inside the reserve; overnight stay; catering.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
- Cremona - It has a monumental historic center - the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Town Hall - one of the most distinguished in Lombardy. It was a Roman city. It was powerful at the time of the Communes and rivaled Milan, which finally subdued it. His violins (Stradivari and Amati), his Torrazzo and even more his torrone, are known everywhere.
- Calvatone - The archaeological area of the ancient Roman city of Bedriacum and the WWF Oasis Le Bine are the main points of interest of this lowland village on the Oglio.
- Cocoon - Gonzaga city, it was the capital of a duchy of a collateral branch of the Gonzaga. Vespasiano worked there urban planning before putting his hand to his masterpiece: Sabbioneta; with Giulio Cesare and Scipione he defines his own elegant urban appearance that responds to sixteenth-century ideals. Of the ancient walls, however, only a short stretch, severely damaged by collapses and neglect, remains.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Le Bine Nature Reserve
Commons contains images or other files on Le Bine Nature Reserve
