Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)
Ticino, Val Grande Verbano
The Valle del Ticino is a riverscape biosphere reserve located along the Ticino River in the north of Italy at the meeting point of the culturally rich regions of Lombardy and Piedmont The reserve functions as an important ecological corridor within the urbanized and industrialized Po plain The site encompasses a mosaic of ecosystems with large river habitats wetlands riparian woods and patches of primary plain forest which covered the entire valley during Roman colonization The area is also characterized by a traditional rural landscape with seminatural ecosystems including paddy rice cornfields permanent grasslands and marcita water meadows The population of 685000 people living in the biosphere reserve 2012 is mainly engaged in the services and industry sectors
Italy