WWF Oasis Lake Burano

In southern Maremma Tuscany, in the municipality of Capalbio, Lake Burano is a coastal brackish lagoon and one of the most important WWF Oases in Tuscany.

The reserve lies between Ansedonia and Chiarone, in one of the most picturesque places in the Maremma, here in fact are the most beautiful beaches.

The Burano oasis is also recognized as an “area of international importance under the Ramsar Convention” and has been a WWF oasis since 1980.

The Lake of Burano

The lake covers about 140 hectares and is separated from the sea by a narrow dune channel. This lagoon is what remains of an ancient lake; it has an average depth of about 1mt. Surrounded by the most beautiful views of the Tuscan Maremma, nestled among dense forests of Mediterranean scrub.

Flora :

There are more than 600 plant species in the lake area, the typical vegetation of this protected area is represented by tree plants, e.g., holm oak and cork oak, and shrub plants, mainly asparagus, Phoenician juniper, prickly juniper, sarsaparilla, sea daffodil, the santolina, sandstone amophyll, sea eryngium, mastic tree, and myrtle. Also very interesting is the presence of more than 60 varieties of lichens, including the very rare Teloschistes Villosus.

Fauna:

The Burano Oasis is home to about 274 species of birds, especially pochards, grebes, flamingos, little ducks, herons, osprey, lanner falcon, marsh harrier, hen harrier, whitethroat, beccamoschino and Sardinian warbler. Among mammals, however, porcupines, foxes, weasels, martens, and skunks, which are very rare in these areas, are widespread. The dunes of the protected reserve are also the natural habitat of many species of beetles, as many as 233, including the very rare Eurynebria complanata. In recent years also, the monarch butterfly the Lelya Cenosa and the Death’s Head Sphinx have returned to breed in the oasis.

WWF Oasis Lake Burano

The WWF Oasis Lake Burano was established in 1980, and it is possible to visit it by following a route of about 2 km through the sand dunes. The itinerary takes about 2 hours, during which the peculiarities of the natural environment, the animals that inhabit the oasis and the local fauna are explained