Brianza: The LIPU Oasis of Cesano Maderno Brianza parks and Cesano Maderno Oasis Brianza is an area of Lombardy that has not only significant historic-artistic heritage, but also truly exceptional naturalistic richness: among the locations to be visited in Brianza, known as land of the lakes which is home to the majority of Lombardy’s lakes, is the Cesano Maderno Oasis. Creation and richness of the oasis The Cesano Maderno Oasis is one of the most interesting Brianza Parks and it was established in 1997 thanks to the joint initiative of the municipality and the LIPU which recovered land that was disappearing due to pollution and industrialisation. A 12-hectare wetland was thus created, from an old clay quarry, constituted by ponds, canals, flooded meadows and reed beds, becoming the perfect habitat for numerous species of migratory birds such as the bee-eater and the great white heron, not forgetting the mallards, kingfisher, coots, little bittern, night heron and grey heron. The Oasis is also home to four species of nocturnal birds of prey: the barn owl, tawny owl, common owl and owl. Visitor centre and nature trails Paths of the Cesano Maderno Oasis Visitors can enjoy about 4 km of paths to enjoy in the discovery of this oasis, among groves of robinia, oaks and birches, hawthorn and rose hip bushes. One of the landscape characteristics of the oasis is the presence of so-called “Moorland ditches“, namely depressions between the woods crossed by small rivulets of water which expand with the rains. Another characteristic of the oasis is the typical Brianza moorland, an area of community interest; in this latter case, we recommend visiting the oasis in September to be able to enjoy the pink and purple colours of the moor. Environmental Education Centre Within the Cesano Maderno Oasis is the “Information and Environmental Education Centre” named after Langer, made from wood with zero environmental impact thanks to the use of photovoltaic and solar panels installed to provide light and heating. Inside there is a conference room, a multimedia room, a library filled with specialist material and an educational laboratory open to visitors and above all schools. Nature trails leave from this visitor centre, signposted by the LIPU, immersed in the typical Brianza landscape, along with a pedestrian cycle track over 1 km long that leads to the ponds: here you will find one of the many bird-watching huts that mark the oasis, hidden among the vegetation. The educational paths of the LIPU Park of Cesano Maderno The complete path is over 2 and a half km long and crosses a wooded grove known as “Gnomes’ Wood“, as, amid the tree creepers and tomtits, lives the gnome Spino, the symbol of the oasis: from the wood you can continue towards the cycle track via a path where you can see the tawny owl nest or continue among the oaks and poplars towards the moor. The educational trail is, on the other hand, a circular route of about 400 metres, where you can see the microhabitat representing the environmental characteristics of the moorlands: the wood, the pond where water lilies and fronds of white willows act as a background to the croaking frogs, the wild meadow, the shrubbery and the very colourful butterfly garden.
