Oasi naturale della Bruschera (Palude Bruschera)

The Bruschera Nature Oasis is a large wetland south of Angera on the western shore of Lake Maggiore. Reeds, ponds, flooded woodland and wet meadows create a varied habitat within a protected landscape.

Why it matters

The wetland covers about 164 hectares and is part of the Natura 2000 network. It supports a range of wetland habitats and wildlife, including Lataste's frog, an endangered species associated with the Po Valley. Ornithologists have recorded more than 300 bird species in the area.

What to notice

Reed beds of Phragmites australis grow beside ponds where yellow water-lilies spread across the surface. Black alder woodland stands in wet ground, contrasting with oak-hornbeam forest at the margins. The streams and channels support fish, while birds use the reed beds and open water. The wetland's paths cross a landscape that changes with the water level and season.

Context and history

The marsh has long been shaped by human use. Tradition associates the nearby Isolino Partegora with the martyrdom of Arialdo Alciato in 1066. In 1776, Alessandro Volta conducted experiments along these shores that led to his study of marsh gas, now known as methane. In later centuries, clay was extracted for brickmaking, a grain mill operated on the Vepra stream, and industrial settling tanks were used to process dolomia. Conservation has since protected the wetland's habitats and wildlife; management is shared by the Province of Varese and the municipality of Angera.