Lake Biandronno
The protection of this biotope dates back to 1977, following legislation by the Region of Lombardy that included Lake Biandronno in the regional list of biotopes and geotopes. A few years later, Regional Law 86/83 gave the area recognition as a regional "Oriented Nature Reserve", and its management was assigned to the Province of Varese.
The area, most of which is owned by the Province, is located in the municipal districts of Biandronno, Bregano e Bardello, and it consists of a marshy hollow that is gradually being filled by sediment. Lake Biandronno, or rather the Biandronno peat-beds, is set in a small basin separated from the north-western banks of Lake Varese by a narrow formation of limestone rock, and it represents a virtually unique example of a lake that has reached the final stage of its development. In the entire area, there are many semi-aquatic plant forms (reed beds and fens), surrounded by wetland forest and water-meadows in which areas of free water are readily visible. At the centre of the lake, the eye of the peat bog is more difficult to identify: it represents all that is left of the original, ancient lake. The basin is supplied by rainwater, and the only outflowing channel is Roggia Gatto, a stream that runs into Lake Varese. The basin is post-glacial in origin, running back to the epoch in which Lake Varese, Lake Biandronno and Lake Comabbio formed a single lake system. As the overall water levels dropped, this system was separated into its component parts, isolating Lake Biandronno from Lake Varese.
The area, most of which is owned by the Province, is located in the municipal districts of Biandronno, Bregano e Bardello, and it consists of a marshy hollow that is gradually being filled by sediment. Lake Biandronno, or rather the Biandronno peat-beds, is set in a small basin separated from the north-western banks of Lake Varese by a narrow formation of limestone rock, and it represents a virtually unique example of a lake that has reached the final stage of its development. In the entire area, there are many semi-aquatic plant forms (reed beds and fens), surrounded by wetland forest and water-meadows in which areas of free water are readily visible. At the centre of the lake, the eye of the peat bog is more difficult to identify: it represents all that is left of the original, ancient lake. The basin is supplied by rainwater, and the only outflowing channel is Roggia Gatto, a stream that runs into Lake Varese. The basin is post-glacial in origin, running back to the epoch in which Lake Varese, Lake Biandronno and Lake Comabbio formed a single lake system. As the overall water levels dropped, this system was separated into its component parts, isolating Lake Biandronno from Lake Varese.
