Riserva Naturale della Valle Canal Novo

From this observation point you will enjoy the best panorama of the main stretch of water of the valley.
Without a doubt, it is the best observation point at any time of the day, ideal for bird watching activities. You can use the binoculars and try to recognize the various species of Ducks living in the area.
Look also towards the embankment surrounding the valley, trying to sight some Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) hunting. At the sunset, you will enjoy the wonderful arrival of the Little Egrets (Egretta gazzetta) moving from the lagoon to the valley and reaching the small arboreal-shrubby tufts in the middle of the protected area, where they use to rest.

Across the so-called "verto de cane", a screened passage made of reed and wood, you will reach a small "casone" (hut) used as an advance observatory giving the opportunity - if you are lucky and spend some time in silence - to observe some unusual birds, maybe recently arrived and therefore still too suspicious to be observed outdoor.
Especially in the morning, when the light is more favorable, you may take some good photos if you have a telephoto lens.

Besides the cabins and other artifacts for the observation of the bird species and the understanding of the lagoon environment, it has been also realized the lagoon aquarium, a simple tool to "immerse" in the lagoon and discover the several organisms inhabiting this extraordinary environment between fresh and salt water.
Most of the tanks are placed in a set design which ideally reproduces a section of the most important lagoon habitats: the river mouth, the "barena" (typical tube-shaped lands of the lagoons), the "paluo", the canals, the dunes.
For the didactic purposes there is also a small multimedia laboratory which makes it possible to develop and thoroughly analyze the several themes tackled during the guided tours in the Reserve. The school groups can, for example, avail themselves of a stereo microscope connected with a computer through a video camera, to discover the plankton life of the lagoon water and observe it.

The prehistoric world, usually imagined as rough and primitive, proves to be sensitive and rich in an archaic wisdom which comes from a deep knowledge of the environment and of the natural resources, and from the awareness to be able to live in balance with nature.
The Valle Canal Novo Nature Reserve has been equipped with a new didactic area called ArIA - Area preistorica di Interazione Ambientale (Prehistoric Area of Environmental Interaction). The area draws its inspiration from the finding of archaeological evidence of the territory dating back to the late Neolithic and the early metal age, a time characterized by a radical change in the lifestyle of our ancestors. The beginning of the agricultural and farming activity, and the resulting end of nomadism led the ancient people to built organized and stable built-up areas that were enough complex to require, for their building and management, a great teamwork, which many families took part in respecting the rules and the orders of a leading group. In this time, the sociality aimed at the growth of the common wellness develops, but the lack of metals and a still mesolithic subsistence strategy allowed the existence of a continuous interaction with nature and the safeguard of that ancient wisdom we still try to recover today.