Brabbia peatland, Lake Varese and Lake Biandronno (2723)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Palude Brabbia, Lago di Varese e Lago di Biandronno
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.7833, Longitude: 8.7500
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 207 to 283
Area of KBA (km2): 24.39018
Protected area coverage (%): 94.36
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Wetlands located at the foot of the Lombardy Pre-Alps. The IBA consists of two separate areas: the Brabbia marsh located between Lake Varese and Lake Comabbio, characterised by a rich variety of habitats (reed beds, ponds, wet woods and meadows). Essentially a post-glacial lowland peat bog, the area has been profoundly affected by peat extraction and subsequent land reclamation. Today, it is a Regional Nature Reserve and a site of international importance, managed by LIPU. The environment is a mosaic of aquatic ecosystems including: marsh reed formations that dominate much of the territory; ponds with water lilies, nannuferi and water chestnuts, hygrophilous formations, including white willow and black alder woods. Finally, grasslands and sedge meadows.<br>Lake Varese is a pre-Alpine lake of glacial origin, fed by springs, the Brabbia canal and the Tinella stream, and drained by the Bardello river. <br>Lake Biandronno, now a Nature Reserve, is a glacial remnant in the process of drying up, fed by rainfall and characterised by an extensive marshland area with reeds and sedges.
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Delineation rationale: Provided by partner.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 10 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 75 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 15 |
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership