Parco Naturale delle Lame del Sesia
Sightseeing attraction | Vercelli | Piemonte | Italy
The Parco Naturale delle Lame del Sesia is a regional nature park in the Piedmont region of Italy, covering approximately 900 hectares along an 8-kilometer stretch of the Sesia River and including the provinces of Vercelli and Novara.
Established in 1978, the park is characterized by its typical river landscapes shaped by "Lame" - marshy areas and water bodies formed by abandoned meanders of the Sesia River. This environment includes meanders, ponds, forests, gravel and sandbanks, creating a natural contrast to the surrounding rice fields.
The morphology of the area is strongly influenced by the Sesia River, which, due to its torrential nature with significant fluctuations between low and high water levels, constantly alters the landscape. During high-water events, the river can flood new areas and change existing shorelines, leading to a dynamic and diverse environment.
The park is home to one of the largest heron colonies in Italy, located in the southern part of the park and surrounded by the river. This area is ideal for bird watching; visitors can observe the behavior of birds such as little egrets, grey herons, cormorants, and cattle egrets from special observation huts along the banks of the Sesia.
Visitors can enjoy various hiking and biking trails throughout the year, including a self-explanatory educational trail for individual explorations and a "Percorso Vita" for fitness enthusiasts who want to exercise in nature. Additionally, the ornithological museum at the park headquarters in Albano Vercellese can be visited upon request.
Therefore, the Parco Naturale delle Lame del Sesia offers a valuable oasis for nature lovers and serves as a significant protected area for the diverse flora and fauna of the region.
