Reserve and protected area
Riserva naturale degli Stagni di Belangero
Asti · Isola d’Asti · Revigliasco d’Asti
The Stagni di Belangero protect part of the alluvial plain on the right bank of the Tanaro, upstream of Asti. Water, farmland and riverside vegetation form a mosaic where wildlife depends on the seasons and river levels. A guided visit helps you discover these habitats without disturbing their most sensitive areas.
A plain shaped by water
The regional reserve covers 487.26 hectares in Asti, Isola d’Asti and Revigliasco d’Asti. Ponds, wet hollows, riverside woods and former extraction lakes alternate with fields and poplar plantations. The Tanaro connects them, while the reserve and the special area of conservation describe partly different protected boundaries.
Habitats and species
Willows, white poplars, black alders and ash characterise riverside habitats. Small pools matter to amphibians such as the common spadefoot and Italian crested newt; the large copper butterfly, Lycaena dispar, is another notable species. Presence varies with season and water level and is best observed patiently with binoculars.
History in the landscape
Protection introduced in 2019 covers a landscape shaped by farming and gravel extraction, where habitat conservation and restoration remain central. Its history reaches much further back: in 2003, low water in the Tanaro revealed fossil dolphin remains in Pliocene clay. The specimen is displayed at Asti’s Palaeontological Museum. A museum visit connects today’s river with the sea that occupied this area millions of years ago.
Planning your visit
A guided visit with the Parco Paleontologico Astigiano helps identify ponds, riverside woods and signs of river dynamics. Bring binoculars and clothing for damp ground, using open viewpoints along marked routes. Postpone during floods; in normal conditions, a quiet stop often yields more sightings than a long walk.
Places to discover
Open a place on the map to find your bearings. Follow permitted access routes and signs on site.
Museo Paleontologico di Asti
In central Asti, the museum houses the Tanaro fossil dolphin. It is a complementary cultural stop with its own admission arrangements to check.
Open in Google Maps · Museo Paleontologico di AstiRevigliasco d’Asti
Isola d’Asti shows the transition between hills and the Tanaro floodplain.
Open in Google Maps · Revigliasco d’AstiIsola d’Asti
A municipality included in the protected boundary. The map identifies the town as a territorial reference; river outings require permitted routes.
Open in Google Maps · Isola d’AstiBefore you visit
Can I enter any lake shown on the map?
Some water bodies are former quarries or lie on private land. Observe them from signed routes and open viewpoints without crossing fences or signs.
How can I arrange a nature visit?
Contact the Parco Paleontologico Astigiano for guiding availability, meeting points and current conditions. Sightings depend on the season; no species is guaranteed.