The Bruschera Oasis

Placed in the Municipality of Angera, along the Lake Maggiore shoreline, it is one of the largest wetlands with a 400 hectares area, but only 95 hectares are protected.

It consists of hydrophilic woods alternating with patches of willow and phragmites reed beds, ponds, streams and small marshy areas. Over 40 species of birds live here, including the great crested grebe, the reed bunting, the shoveller, the white.eyed pochard, the water rail and the spottled crake.

The Boza Oasis

Unlike all the other wetlands, the Boza oasis is a disused quarry filled with rainwater at the top of a morenaic hill, surrounded by phragmites reed beds. Various species of birds, including the rare little bittern and green woodpecker, live here. In 1997 became a LIPU Oasis.

The Bevera Brook Oasis

It is a 20 hectares area, formed from some disused settling tanks which are periodically flooded by the overflowing of the Bevera Brook.

It includes stretches of phragmites reed beds, and a small wood of black alder and willow. The green woodpecker and the spotted woodpecker live here.

The Arnetta Brook Oasis

It is formed by the occasionally overflow of the Arnetta Brook that floods the surrounding land to form small pools.

It is home of some rare animals, such as the marsh-harrier, the black kite, the wryneck and the coot.

The Sabbie d'Oro Oasis

The Monvallina Oasis

This is an area of about 20 hectares crossed by a dirt track often used by motor vehicles.

Neverthless, it is home to the green woodpecker, the redstart and the kingfisher.

The Sant'Anna Oasis

The Valle Bagnoli Oasis

It is a developing area of roughly 24 hectares with mesophytic flora, some species of willow and cat's tails.

A species which is fast disappearing all over Europe, the red-backed shrike, still lives here

Parco dei Fontanili

Located between the municipalities of Cavaria con Premezzo, Besnate and Gallarate is an area of 40 hectares.

This wetland consists of a morainic zone rich of woods and small growing areas. The green woodpecker, the greater spotted woodpecker, the rare woodcock live in these woods, as well newts, tree frogs, foxes, beech-martens, hares and various species of rats.

The Laveno Mombello peat-bog

Located near the cemetry of Cerro, it stretches for nearly 18 hectares. There is evidence of pile-dwelling settlement due to the first inhabitants, the Insubrians.

In the damper area there is a dry phragmites reed bed together with royal ferns, cat's tails, purple loosestrife, sedge and horsetails, surrounded by chestnut woods and undergrowth of hawthorn, elder and hazel trees. The fauna includes the redstart, the green woodpecker, the moorhen and the reed bunting.

Pau Majur and Carecc peat-bogs