Learning nature abroad

It is very important that people wishing to learn nature visit places of nature abroad. Especially important is this for people living in a small country where a relatively small number of animal and plant species occur.

Therefore it is essential in projects like LENA that both experts and learners visit foreign countries, and during their visits learn there as much as possible.

This was the reason why the Estonian team of LENA organized special learning events in Northern Italy in October 2012, before the meeting of partners took place in Rome. Two members of LENA staff and two learners from Estonia took part.

Learning small animals and their habitats in Northern Italy

LENA's learning events in Lombardy and Piemonte concentrated on natural values available in Northern Italy at the end of summer. Between 29th of September and 10th of October 2012 both the experts and learners were participating in field trips carried out in the following places: Laveno, Laveno-Cerro, Inarzo, Varese, Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso, Verbania, Baveno, Fondotoce, Ghiffa, Orta San Giulio, Sarnico, Bergamo.

Main places of learning nature in Northern Italy in October 2012 (yellow circles).

During the trip in Northern Italy we visited nature reserves (Fondotoce, Ghiffa), botanical gardens (Inarzo), historical sites (Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso, Ghiffa, Orta San Giulio, Varese), natural forests (Fondotoce, Ghiffa), lake shores (Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta, Lake Iseo), and several settlements (Laveno, Cerro, Varese, Verbania, Baveno, Sarnico, Bergamo). During the day we observed day-active animals like amphibians, reptiles and birds. During night walks we observed and learned night-active animals like amphibians, bats and land snails.

During learning events in Northern Italy we observed 2 species of amphibians, 1 species of reptiles, 8 species of bats and over 20 species of birds. Bat sounds were recorded using an ultrasound detector, and bat species were identified from those recordings.

A Pettersson D240x detector for observing and recording flying bats.

We advertised and carried out two public walks – LENA's learning events in Laveno and Verbania. During both events we observed night-active animals and showed them also to local people.

A nightly illuminated promenade facing Lake Maggiore in Verbania-Pallanza,

the place of LENA's learning event on the 6^th of October 2012.

Advertisement of LENA's learning event in Verbania-Pallanza.

During LENA's learning events in Northern Italy, the main guide was Estonian zoologist Dr. Matti Masing, a specialist of small terrestrial vertebrates and large land snails living in Northern Europe. He has studied small mammals, especially bats, during 35 years, and was willing to distribute his knowledge learned from nature to those interested.

Laveno-Cerro

(29^th September – 03^rd October 2012)

Daytime view of Lake Maggiore at Laveno-Cerro.

Evening view of Lake Maggiore at Laveno-Cerro. 

A colony of Leisler's Bat (Nyctalus leisleri) was swarming here at sunset time.

Nighttime view of Laveno-Cerro, an urban habitat where Pipistrellus sp. calling on 40 kHz often flies.

Close to this place Common Toad has been found hiding in a wall hole (see below).

Common Toad (Bufo bufo) hiding in a wall hole at Laveno-Cerro. 

This night-active animal appears on the entrance of this hole during the night. 

The species must be rare in Laveno area, as many cars threaten it on the streets. 

The same reason is probably keeping away hedgehogs, none of those were observed

 at Cerro during LENA events in September and October 2012.

Spanish Slug (Arion vulgaris), very similar to European Red Slug (Arion rufus),

crawling around at Laveno-Cerro during the night.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) has been observed in a variety of places

in the vicinity of gardens and buildings.

A family of Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis, from left: young, female and male)

basking on a wall at Laveno-Cerro.

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), a common bird observed on Lake Maggiore.

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) sitting on a chimney at Laveno-Cerro.

„Praying Mantis“ (Mantis religiosa) at Laveno-Cerro.

Ghiffa

(06^th October 2012)

The Sacro Monte of the Holy Trinity at Ghiffa, a Natural Reserve and UNESCO

World Heritage site, stands on the slopes of Monte Carciago (Cargiago)

in a magnificent position overlooking Lake Maggiore

(Riserva Naturale Speciale del Sacro Monte della SS. Trinità di Ghiffa).

An old Himalayan Cedar (Cedrus deodara) growing at a terrace facing Lake Maggiore.

A natural chestnut (Castanea) forest growing on Sacred Mountain of Ghiffa.

Ripe chestnut tree fruits have fallen on the ground.

Matti Masing, guide of LENA's learning events in Northern Italy,

standing on a forest road at Ghiffa.

A scenic path, fringed by stone walls at both sides, leads from Sacred Mountain of

Ghiffa down to Lake Maggiore.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) basking on a stone wall

situated at the edge of a path at Ghiffa.

A view of Lake Maggiore through a garden at Ghiffa.

Fondotoce

http://vimeo.com/16138286

(05^th October 2012)

A typical view of Fondotoce Special Nature Reserve, a nighttime flying place of three different 

bat species: Pipistrellus pipistrellus calling on 48 kHz, Pipistrellus pygmaeus calling on 53 kHz 

and Pipistrellus sp. calling on 40 kHz. 

Three other species (Myotis daubentonii, Hypsugo savii and Nyctalus noctula) were flying not far away.

An unidentified animal found at Fondotoce.

Old forest at Fondotoce Special Nature Reserve, close to River Toce.

At this place trees grow very large.

Nighttime view of Lake Maggiore beach, close to the mouth of River Toce.

Savi's Pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii) flying by a street-lamp at

Fondotoce Special Nature Reserve, and calling on 36 kHz.

An illuminated street at Fondotoce (part of Verbania),
a site where Savi's Pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii) often flies.

[the End]