Flora and fauna

The lower Olona park is characterized by three different natural areas: 

1) The wetland includes a specific type of flora and fauna that can only survive and grow near a river or lake. The wetland of the park is an artificial area designed to have an environment with greater biodiversity. In fact, this area is home to a variety of plants and shrubs, some of these grow inside the river and like duckweed, iris pseudacorus and water buttercup, they all bloom in spring; others grow on the banks of the river as European speedwell, typha latifolia and loosestrife; the white willow is the only one that grows further away from the river. Thanks to the variety of plants and the amount of water in the wetland, there are several species which have been successfully integrated into the area and others that can survive thanks to this artificial installation. Here we can find various amphibians and reptiles, such as frogs, toads, lizards and snakes. It is also an area full of insects such as mosquitoes, dragonflies, fireflies and butterflies. Finally, looking up to the sky we see herons, kingfishers, moorhens, storks and finches.

2) The woodland area features distinctive flora and fauna. Talking about flora, you can find a lot of different varieties of trees like gray willows, red oaks, maples, black alders, wattles, cherry-trees, elms, hazels, poplars, mulberries, Scots pines, ashes and walnuts. You can also find a lot of plants which produce berries like brambles, elders, viburnums, cornelian cherries, blackthorns and hawthorns. 

Talking about fauna, you can find a lot of animal species. The woodland is home to a lot of birds like owls, woodpeckers, quails, turtle doves, parakeets, larks, swallows, robins, nightingales, blackbirds, magpies and crows. It also hosts some rodents like squirrels, moles and voles. Lastly, in this part of the park there are a lots of mammals like bats, hares, foxes, hedgehogs and badgers.

3) The meadows are inhabited by various wild animals. The meadows of the park are home to rabbits, hares, red and grey squirrels, foxes, weasels, badgers, moles, hedgehogs and mice. In some months of the year there are also sheep, goats, horses and donkeys. Permanent meadows are the optimal habitat for numerous butterfly species, hunting grounds for birds of prey and also for mammals such as bats. Walking in the meadows you can admire lots of flowers such as snowdrops, periwinkles and daisies. There are also climbing plants such as ivy and trees that produce berries, in particular Elders, Viburnums, Cornelian cherries, Blackthorns, Hawthorns and finally blue and red berry trees.