The Riserva San Massimo, located in a small town called Gropello Cairoli, spanning over more than 500 hectares, stands out in the surrounding monotonous landscape, dominated by plantations, and is one of the most interesting natural oasis of the Ticino Park. Nature alternates with agricultural fields, rows of fruit plants, water meadows and poplar fields. Such alternation is very important for wil
d animals, who find here the ideal environment for their life cycles. The peculiarity of the environment (the presence of swamps, water meadows, the richness in water, biodiversity) is the prerequisite at the basis of the existence here of certain fauna and flora species, which made the Riserva San Massimo, owned by Guido Antonello, a site of community importance (SCI: IT2080015), an area of special protection, which met the interest of researchers in the University of Pavia and of many other local bodies in the sake of the realization of programmes of both preservation and wildlife-environmental education. The Riserva San Massimo is characterized by an high level of biodiversity and is proud of many fauna and flora species, enlisted in the Italian Red List, published by the World Conservation Union, which feels it a priority to protect and preserve nature. It is here where our Superfine Carnaroli rice is produced and labelled with the blue mark of the Ticino Park Controlled Production.
