Parco Adda Nord, Regional park in Lombardy, Italy
Parco Adda Nord is a protected regional park of 5,580 hectares covering the plain crossed by the Adda river below the Lecco branch of Lake Como, in the provinces of Bergamo, Lecco and the Metropolitan City of Milan. The river has cut through reddish-yellow clays and ceppo conglomerate banks, leaving high rock walls, and the land forms a system of fluvio-glacial terraces with wetlands and coppiced woods.
The park was officially established in 1983, following environmental studies and protection efforts that had developed during the 1970s. The recognition of the river valley's ecological value was the main reason it received protected status.
The park's name comes from the Adda river, which powered the area's industry: four historic hydroelectric plants stand along its course, from Semenza at Calusco d'Adda to Taccani at Trezzo sull'Adda. At Concesa, in the former Villa Gina, the park authority keeps an ecomuseum devoted to Leonardo da Vinci's canal locks at Trezzo.
The park has a network of paths open to walkers and cyclists, and conditions vary depending on the section you choose. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, and it helps to check accessibility for the specific route before setting out.
The wetlands at Isola della Torre shelter rare water lily species growing alongside black alders and oak trees in small sheltered pools. These plants are seldom found elsewhere in the surrounding region.
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