E-Learning from Nature

NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Fucecchio Marshes

COUNTRY
Italy

CITY
Fucecchio

THEMATIC AREA
Geography, Math, Chemistry, Biology

WEB SITE
http://www.zoneumidetoscane.it/

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
The Fucecchio Marshes are included in the Natura 2000 network, and cover an area of about 1.800 hectares, which make it the widest inland marsh in Italy.
Thanks to the water supply coming from the courses of the pre-Appennines mountainous chain, and its climate containing Mediterranean and Continental features, the basin is suitable to various kinds of plants – coming from warm wet as well as cold climates – from the Royal fern to the Tufted Sedge, and from carnivorous plants to particular water lilies.
The Marshes are a suitable area for lots of species of birds in their migratory routes, especially within the Tyrrhenian coast and hinterland. A great number of breeding pairs live in the Marshes, and among them, seven different species of herons can be detected.
In addition, a noteworthy element is represented by mammals, among which attention is focused on the Nutria and the Harvest Mouse, the smallest European rodent.
Further features of particular interest are the great number of coleopterans, beetles typical of north-central Europe, and Red Swamp Crayfish coming from the American continent.
Among the most frequent activities we should mention bird-watching and photographing , together with educational and recreational activities for schools, carried out by the Centre for Research, Documentation and Promotion of the Fucecchio Marshes, which join up with research and monitoring services to check the quality of the environment, and to restore the habitat.


	Activity of bird watching	The photograph was taken during bird watching - one of the most frequent activities at the natural reserve of Fucecchio Marshes - This activity takes place on huts which work as watching points.
	The alley to the marshes	The long alley which leads to the marshes
	The wood by the marshes	The wood which extends along one side of the marshes
	Information boards	The alleys and the paths of the marshes are equipped with boards which provide information about the ways to take and the species of animals present in the area. There are also boards with Braille alphabet.
	View of a channel of the marshes	Along the channels of the marshes we can find many plants which can adapt to different climates; some examples are the Tufted Sedge, the Common Reed. Because of its characteristic vegetation and floristic peculiarities, the Fucecchio Marshes has been considered a biotope of particular interest and deserving protection in the list drawn up by the Italian Botany Society in 1979.
	Bird watching tower	One of the watch-points inside the marshes of Fucecchio, from which you can have close-ups of the wildlife, without getting closer and scaring any of the birds which live and nest in the area.
	Students during bird watching	Students are taking turns for bird watching, one of the most frequent activities at the natural reserve of Fucecchio Marshes - This activity takes place on huts which work as watching points.
	View from the tower	The vegetation of the marshes is mostly made of reeds, and characterizes in a particular way the whole biotic element of the ecosystem. The reeds are particularly thick and high, and cover much part of the marshes and are linked with many species of birds that must be protected.
	Centre of Documentation and Research	The centre of documentation and research of the Fucecchio marshes is located less than 3 kms far from the protected area, and represents a reference point for information and educational activities, according to the principles of lifelong learning. The professional guides work within two specific fields: nature and environment, history and traditional activities.
	Fishermen\\\'s boat	One of the boats used by fishermen in the past. Through centuries the marshes have been exploited for fishing, hunting, collecting herbs and reclaiming. These activities have decreased after the shift from agricultural to industrial economy, but thanks to the fact that they have always been deeply rooted in the inhabitants culture, still nowadays they are being kept alive according to the present rules.
	Fishermen\\\'s net	One of the nets used by fishermen in the past. Fishing has always been one of the most frequent activities and way to get a living all over the area of the Fucecchio marshes.
	Information	Guide giving explanations. The professional guides work within two specific fields: nature and environment, history and traditional activities. Their activity is oriented towards everyone. In particular, they work much for and with schools, organizing educational activities for students of all ages.
	Introductory information	At the Centre of Documentation and Research there are maps, objects, and items of the marshes which are very useful to introduce what is to be found throughout the area. Students can also learn more by watching videos and slides about many aspects of the marshes, regarding history, the work of man, the flora and the fauna.


	A channel of the marshes	A channel of the marshes, with vegetation mostly made of reeds, which cover much part of the marshes.
	Mallards	A couple of mallards in the marshes. These animals have found their habitat in this wide protected area.
	The green-winged teal	The green-winged teal usually breeds in shallow permanent ponds with abundant vegetation. The green-winged teal feeds on seeds of sedges, pondweeds, grasses, aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans and tadpoles. Female green-winged teals lay an average of 8-9 eggs.
	The black-bellied plover	A large shorebird of coastal beaches, the Black-bellied Plover is striking in its black-and-white breeding plumage. Breeds in western and northern Alaska and Arctic Canada. Spends winters mainly along the coasts from British Columbia and Massachusetts southward to coastal Mexico and the West Indies. Breeds on tundra; spends winters on beaches, mudflats, marshes, lakeshores, and plowed fields.
	Seagull	Seagulls live primarily in coastal regions, but are also seen near bodies of fresh water. It is common to spot some species in areas where a large lake or other fresh body of water is present.
	Pintail duck	The pintail duck has a slender build, long, elegant neck and long, narrow wings, during the breeding season the male northern pintail has a chocolate-brown head, white underparts and a white neck, with a thin, white line extending up the back of the neck, and a long, black tail bordered by yellowish-tan patches.
	Wigeon	The Wigeon is a winter bird that gathers in large numbers, particularly on wet grasslands, flood meadows and flooded gravel pits and reservoirs with gently sloping edges where they can easily get out onto the grassy banks. The wigeon feeds on aquatic plants, grasses and roots.


Flora at the Fucecchio marshes Situated on the boundary between the Mediterranean and Continental climates of the Peninsular, the Marshes simultaneously shelter plants adapted to different climates. Where the reeds leave space to the free waters, are the \"laminas\" formed of plants with floating leaves (e.g. the large Yellow Water-lilies) which offer one of the last refuges for several highly specialised species.
Herons at the Fucecchio marshes The herons are a particularly important feature here, where they are concentrated in a large heronry, a veritable \"city of herons\" with thousands of birds consisting of the parents, and last year\'s immatures. This is the most important nesting colony in south-central Italy.
Mallard and Greyleg Goose Life and habits of mallards and greyleg geese, some of the great many species of birds to be seen at the Fucecchio marshes.
Waders and other birds at the Fucecchio marshes Waders can be found in both freshwater and saltwater areas, though more species tend to favour freshwater habitats. Bogs, marshes, mudflats, shorelines, ponds and flooded areas are all popular habitats for wading birds
E-Learning from Nature: introduction The knowledge of scientific subjects will be broadened in students, through a problem and inquiry based teaching approach, by building learning processes through direct analysis of the real world. Students learn the basic skills of different scientific subjects, starting from the collection of information about the natural and environmental heritage of their local territory, its analysis from different science related point of view and its description through the use of ICT. Thats why Students are main actors of their own learning process, and experience the value of science in order to understand and analyze the main features of the surrounding area they live in.

Geographical Areas