Work in progress: REHABILITATION OF HUMID AREAS

The 'Taio di Nomi' wetland area is located in the Adige Valley, just north of Rovereto, and is not only a provincial nature reserve but also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA), i.e. Natura 2000 areas protected at European level by the Habitats and Birds Directives.
The Taio di Nomi is an important habitat because it is located along the important Adige Valley migratory route and is used by birds as a resting place.

THE HISTORY OF THIS WETLAND AREA
The area corresponds to an old meander of the Adige River, before the rectification and canalisation works at the end of the 19th century. It was gradually reduced due to reclamation works to reclaim land for cultivation. In the 1970s and 1980s, the last remaining wetland was used as a dump. Under protection since 1989, it was reclaimed in 1992, restoring a pond where the dump used to be. Between the late 1990s and the early 2000s, the site underwent a series of interventions carried out thanks to LIFE projects, which made it possible to purchase land around the area in order to enlarge the ponds present. Drainage and greening with aquatic and hygrophilous species was carried out.

CURRENT CRITICISMS
Over the years, the area has achieved a certain ecological stability. These environments, however, once periodically flooded by the river, are in need of restoration work because, over the years, the reedbed tends to become excessively silted up due to the accumulation of plant residues that remain trapped between the roots, reducing the water surface area, which is so important for amphibian and bird species.

WORK CARRIED OUT FOR THE NATCONNECT2030 PROJECT
Old puddles were restored in the south-eastern portion of the area where the reed thicket was particularly dense and closed, and circulation in the northernmost stretch of water was promoted in order to maintain an adequate water level even during the driest periods.
The work carried out will certainly benefit the amphibian species present, and especially the birds.

Like all the interventions under the Life NatConnect2030 project, this too is a development of the actions defined in the provincial PAF. The PAF - Prioritised Action Framework - is a multi-year document that plans and monitors the actions necessary for the maintenance of Natura 2000 habitats and species.