Area naturale protetta di interesse locale Sterpaia, Protected coastal reserve in Piombino, Italy.
Sterpaia is a coastal nature reserve in Piombino spanning roughly 248 hectares with diverse environments ranging from sandy beaches to Mediterranean woodlands and wetland zones. A network of marked trails connects these different ecological areas throughout the site.
The area received its formal protected status in 1998 following extensive efforts to prevent unauthorized construction and development along this coastal strip. This designation marked a turning point in preserving the land from further alteration.
The reserve practices traditional land management in designated areas, showing how farming methods once shaped the Alta Maremma region. Visitors can observe how natural habitats and historical land use patterns exist side by side today.
Visitors can explore the different zones on a network of trails spanning roughly 10 kilometers, from pine forests to sand dunes. All paths are marked and connect the main landscape areas throughout the reserve.
The site contains a rare coastal wet forest with large specimens of ash, turkey oak, and holm oak trees. These mature trees represent decades of undisturbed growth following the protected designation.
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