With its farmhouses, the woods and the fields, which belonged to the former estate, the Park is a vivid witness of the traditional mutual adaptation between Nature and human activities, which is very typical of this part of the country.
The landscape, which includes also a large protected humid zone and a stretch of the river Tevere, represents an accomplished meeting between history and environmental resources.

A humid area of international relevance

One of the most interesting humid areas in Lazio, the Tevere Farfa Regional Natural Reserve, is stretched on a 700 hectares area on the middle valley of Tevere, between the Montorso bridge and the dam of Meana, where the river meets the Farfa torrent. The Reserve is included in the list of the "humid areas of international interest" compiled by the International Convention of Ramsar in February 1971. This area is protected since 1977, according to the Regional Law for Parks and Reserves and it is run by a consortium including the Town Councils of Nazzano and Torrita Tiberina. The peculiarities of the environment are related to the basin made by an artificial barrage of the river, i.e. a dam realised by ENEL to supply the generators of a small hydroelectric power station. The most swampy area, where the Farfa meets the Tevere, and the surrounding area constitute the Reserve. The environment features a large number of slow running stretches of water and stagnant ponds.

The forms of landscape

The river Tevere drives a wide circle around the outcrop upon which lies the village of Nazzano. The outcrop is made of volcanic rocks whose density is higher than the surrounding ground; it has made a bend at the end of which there is the confluence of the Farfa in the Tevere.
The river banks, in this area, are mostly made of strata of alluvial materials: sand, clay and pebbles. There is also plenty of dregs left by floods and overflow. The slow gathering of solid deposit has also caused phenomena of filling up above the ENEL lock.

The vegetable species of the Reserve

The most common and interesting species which grow spontaneously in the Reserve are: willow trees (different species of Salix), white poplars (Populus alba), swamp canes (Phragmites communis), reed (Juncus acutus). As we walk away from the river flow, the vegetation changes, and we can see mixed bank formations, still cultivated areas or formerly cultivated zones, and woodlands on the hills.
This environment, far from the water, features the presence of Quercus pubescens, oak (Quercus ruber), holm-oak (Quercus ilex).
Besides, on the border between the banks and the other environments, there are also brooms (Spartium junceum), hawthorns (Crataegus sp.), black alders (Alnus glutinosa) and field elm trees (Ulmus campestris).

Animal life in the Reserve

A remarkable and distinguished avicultural fauna is present in the Reserve: among the several water birds which stop here we can mention Grey heron, Little egret (Egretta garzetta), Night heron (Nicticorax nicticorax), Little grebe (Podiceps ruficollis), and recently also Great creseted grebe (Podiceps cristatus). There is also a large number of Mallard (Anas platyrynchos), Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), Bittern (Botarurus stellaris), Garganey (Anas querquedula). Very remarkable is also the population of Rails with the coots (Fulica atra), moorhens (Gallinula chloropus). Among the birds of prey, beside the well known buzzards (Buteo buteo) and Black kite, is also remarkable the population of Marsh harrier (Circus aeroginosus).
In the river and the swamp there are eels (Anguilla anguilla), pikes (Esox lucius) and catfish (Ictalurus sp.). Inland we can also find weasels (Mustela nivalis), beechmartens (Martes foina), badgers (Meles meles) foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and porcupines (Hystrix crestata); the coypu (Myocastor coypus) is easily to be found in the water.

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