Riserva Naturale Diaccia Botrona

Diaccia Botrona is a protected wetland near Castiglione della Pescaia, preserving part of the former Lake Prile system. Open water, channels and marsh vegetation connect its wildlife with the environmental history of the Maremma.

Why it matters

The wetland records the combined effects of natural coastal change and centuries of water management. It was recognised as a wetland of international importance in 1991, and the nature reserve was established in 1996.

What to notice

The vegetation reflects differences in salinity and water supply, with reeds, rushes and salt-tolerant plants occupying different areas. Waterbirds use the marsh for feeding, resting and breeding. Casa Rossa Ximenes adds an architectural landmark associated with the regulation of water.

Context and history

Sedimentation and the progressive closure of the coastal barrier transformed the ancient lake. Reclamation subsequently reduced the wider wetland. The eighteenth-century engineer Leonardo Ximenes developed hydraulic works here, including the Casa Rossa complex. Later drainage campaigns further altered the landscape, leaving Diaccia Botrona as a surviving fragment of a much larger watery environment.