ITALIA TOUR

THE FUCECCHIO MARSHES

The Fucecchio Marshes cover an area of about 1,800 hectares, divided between the Provinces of Pistoia and Florence. In spite of it being drastically reduced with respect to the ancient lake-marshes which once covered most of the southern Valdinievole, today it is still the largest inland marsh in Italy. The most naturalistically interesting area is situated mainly in the Communes of Larciano, Ponte Buggianese and Fucecchio. From the geographic point of view, the Marshes are a more or less triangular basin lying in the Valdinievole, south of the Pistoiese Apennines, between Montalbano and the Cerbaie Hills. The main water supply comes from the water courses of the pre-Apennine slopes. The only emissary from the Marshes, the Usciana Canal, runs more or less parallel to the River Arno for 18 kilometres and flows into it near Montecalvoli (Pisa). The value of this area is increased by its contiguity with other areas of great environmental value: Montalbano, the Cerbaie Hills and the little Sibolla Lake which is joined to the Marshes via the Sibolla Trench. The Natural Reserve "Padule di Fucecchio" is equipped with structures for visits, including three observatories (one of them converted from one of the characteristics Marsh cabins).