Ticino Park: Europe's Largest River Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

The Parco del Ticino Val Grande Verbano, Europe's largest river park, spans 248 km and 332,000 hectares across Lombardy and Piedmont. Designated a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 2002, it protects 6,235 species and features 750 km of cycling and walking trails. The park extends from Lake Maggiore to the Adriatic, linking with the Po Delta Biosphere Reserve. Despite its size and UNESCO status, the park is underpromoted locally. Key sites include the Panperduto Dam (1884), Villa Clerici (now degraded), and the Casa del Guardiano delle Acque in Abbiategrasso, a 16th-century building crucial for Milan's Duomo marble transport. The park's buffer zone covers 51,000 hectares, with 18,000 hectares of core area. In 2018, the reserve expanded into Swiss Canton Ticino and Verbano. Pavia's UNESCO candidacy was withdrawn in 2022. The article calls for better recognition and restoration of historic buildings like Villa Clerici, acquired by the Mantovani family in 2021.