Riserva naturale Stornara, State nature reserve in Puglia, Italy.
Riserva Naturale Stornara is a protected forest reserve stretching along the Ionian coast, with Aleppo pine forests anchoring the sandy dunes and creating a patchwork of different habitats. The landscape flows from wooded areas to open dunes, and includes a coastal lake and remnants of old watchtowers built for maritime defense.
The reserve was officially established in 1977 to protect the coastal forest ecosystem and expanded in 1997 when an adjacent wooded area was incorporated. This growth created a larger unified forest complex that strengthened conservation efforts across a wider coastal zone.
The name Stornara comes from the starlings that arrive in huge numbers each winter, a phenomenon that has shaped how locals understand their landscape. These seasonal migrations create a natural rhythm that connects the people here to broader patterns of wildlife movement along the coast.
The reserve can be accessed from several entry points linked to nearby settlements scattered across its borders. Marked walking paths are available for visitors, so it helps to plan which gateway makes sense for your route before arriving.
Within the reserve sits a shallow saltwater lake that supports a specialized plant community, including rare orchids found nowhere else in the region. These plants have adapted to the salty conditions and serve as markers of the unique ecological conditions present here.
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