The Garden of Biodiversity is an educational and sharing project that originates in Rovio.
Within the area, divided into terraces, there is a cultivation of aromatic and medicinal herbs including lippia, citronella mint, and calendula. In another part, there is an olive grove with about 40 olive trees protected by a dry stone wall where picnics are organized during the warmer months. In the highest part of the land, there is a shared and free area with picnic tables, benches, and a beautiful view of the roofs of Rovio, as well as the bay of Riva San Vitale.
Along the path that runs alongside the Garden of Biodiversity and in the shared panoramic area, there are educational signs that, with the help of QR technology, will give you the opportunity to delve into various topics related to the surrounding nature and biodiversity!
The educational path was created thanks to the support and collaboration of Trifolium, Erbe Ticino, and Daniele Fumagalli, and the Regional Entity for the development of Mendrisiotto and Lower Ceresio.
The Garden of Alpine Stars
With our great surprise, we discovered that alpine stars love the climate of Rovio and therefore grow very well at the Biodiversity Garden. As the alpine star is a highly sought-after and rare flower, thanks to the collaboration of the Monte Generoso Railway, we have decided to start a parallel project dedicated only to them. All alpine stars are grown using organic methods and certified by Bio Suisse.
This project aims to bring everyone closer to nature, sustainability, and producers to restore the right value to genuine and simple things. Thanks to the alpine stars of Rovio, the Alpine Star Herbal Tea of Monte Generoso is born, which enriched with other herbs and flowers, can be tasted and purchased at the Fiore di Pietra in Vetta. To learn more, you can visit the website of the Monte Generoso.
Did you know that alpine stars are rare and delicate flowers? You can find many information and curiosities about this magical flower here.
Aromatic and Edible Plants Just a Stone's Throw Away
Nature offers us more than we can imagine, even close to home. Did you know that these slopes are composed of at least 20 species of aromatic and edible plants?
An example of an edible species is Silene vulgaris, also known as Silene rigonfia in Italian, and called "Verzitt" in the dialect of the region, for its taste reminiscent of that of cabbages. It is recognizable by its leaves that feel like plastic to the touch and can be eaten raw in salads or in risottos or soups. The flower calyx forms a swelling that can be "popped" and is also called a "bubble."
In spring as well as throughout the summer, you can smell the aroma of thyme in the air. Yes, thyme also grows very willingly on dry slopes well exposed to the sun. On these slopes, you can find the common thyme Thymus serpyllum aggr., a much-loved aromatic herb.
The potential of natural hedges
Natural hedges are a structure with high ecological value for various animals.
They are composed of native shrubs that provide shelter but also food and a nesting place for insects, birds, and mammals such as mice, hedgehogs, and squirrels. They also act as a passage corridor for many species. The more diverse the hedge (composed of different shrubs, thorny and non-thorny, early and late flowering), the greater the number of species that can benefit from it.
Natural hedges are not only useful for biodiversity, but also very beautiful and colorful in all seasons and often also offer edible fruits to eat fresh or transformed into syrups, jams, or cooked on pies, as is the case with elderberry Sambucus nigra, cornel Cornus mas or even blackthorn Prunus spinosa and wild rose Rosa canina.
Biodiversity and ecological network
Biodiversity is the scientific term to designate biological diversity. It can also be translated as "diversity of nature." Biodiversity represents the life that surrounds us in all its forms: ecosystems (gardens, forests, swamps, dry meadows, etc.), species (foxes, robins, salamanders, bacteria, porcini mushrooms, etc.), and genetic diversity (the goats in a herd are not all the same, but each individual has its own genetic identity, just like us).
The use and management of the land by humans has influenced, and still influences, the presence of certain animal and plant species that depend on anthropogenic environments. The region's rural past has contributed to the presence of environments and species that are still considered rare or protected today, due to the rarity of these environments throughout Switzerland. The Val Mara still preserves many of these species, typical of the rural landscape still partially intact.
In this garden, you will encounter various elements and structures that attest to the region's rural past and, at the same time, serve as habitats for various plant and animal species. The greater the diversity in structures and elements, the better the needs of a greater number of species will be satisfied, and therefore the biodiversity will be greater!
The biodiversity garden is a good example of an ecological network, that is, a mosaic of environments that meet the needs of various animal and plant species, including dry stone walls, dry embankments, natural hedges, fruit trees, indigenous trees with cavities, and finally the forest.
Agriculture and Biodiversity in Harmony
The garden is an innovative project of agriculture and biodiversity that arises from the collaboration between the organic farm White of Arogno and the environmental consulting office Trifolium of Arogno.
The project manages to integrate the cultivation of aromatic and edible herbs, the production of olives, and the promotion of biodiversity.
Moreover, the biodiversity garden is able to preserve and promote the testimony of the rural landscape of the past by enhancing the elements present and by offering educational content and points for reflection to all the people who will enjoy passing through here.
Butterflies Depend on Biodiversity
In the blooming and colorful meadows, a large number of butterflies flutter. They are excellent indicators of biodiversity. They are easy to observe on sunny and warm days. The richer the environment is in structures such as dry stone walls, streams, or mosaic shrubs with dry meadows and woods, the more species can live there.
It is documented that at the beginning of the 1900s, when the landscape was more structured and marshes and flood plains extended over much larger surfaces, the butterfly population was 100 times higher.
Oftentimes, caterpillars feed on only one plant species, while the adult butterfly depends on the presence of flower nectar.
Most of the butterflies in the Monte Generoso region are linked to the plants of the dry meadows.
The Birds you can hear or see in the biodiversity garden
March-October
If you hear a sound that resembles the noise made by crumpling a sheet of paper, it is probably the black redstart, a bird species very common in cities and villages, named after its black head and ashen-colored body. Be careful not to confuse it with the common redstart, much rarer, whose male, compared to its cousin, has a white spot on the forehead. With urbanization, this species has also spread to the plains, using houses and buildings for nesting. Originally, the black redstart lived in mountainous rocky environments, up to 3,200 meters above sea level! An early riser, the black redstart starts the morning bird concerts before dawn.
Late April/early May - August
Starting from late April/early May, listen to the song of the cuckoo.
The cuckoo lives in open environments rich in small structures, but also appreciates broadleaved forests. On flower-rich slopes, the cuckoo manages to find caterpillars, insects, and spiders that it feeds on. It is known for the habit of laying eggs in the nests of other birds that hatch and raise the young cuckoos as if they were their own.
As a result, its presence is closely related to species that are more parasitized such as the European pied flycatcher, the blackcap, the black redstart, the common redstart, …
Its typical song signals its arrival around mid to late April and accompanies us throughout the summer.
April-September
The swift builds its nest under the eaves of buildings by sticking mud, and it is often seen in large colonies catching flying insects, especially in the cooler hours of the day.
Unfortunately, the swift is not always appreciated, and its nests are often destroyed because its droppings dirty the facades of houses and what is below the nest.
The swift finds nourishment thanks to the presence of many insects, and therefore thanks to the maintenance of natural meadows.
May-mid September
With its typical black mask, the lesser whitethroat is a discreet inhabitant of extensive agricultural landscapes where there is a strong presence of low, thorny hedges and meadows.
It mainly feeds on large insects that it impales on the thorns of brambles and other thorny shrubs, creating a food supply.
It builds its nest in brambles or thorny shrubs, sheltered from predators. With the disappearance of hedges from agricultural landscapes and the decline in insects, the populations of lesser whitethroats have greatly decreased.
Thanks to campaigns in favor of natural hedges and extensive agriculture, it is hoped to protect the existing populations.
All year long
The green woodpecker is a sedentary bird that does not migrate during the winter months. It can therefore be glimpsed even in winter for its colorful plumage that stands out among the bare trees.
Its typical courtship song resembles a laugh that gradually fades away. It is also easily recognizable by its undulating flight. It is fond of ants, which it can find and eat even in tree cavities thanks to a sticky tongue with barbs.
It therefore requires open spaces such as meadows, where it can find ants and insects, but also large trees where it can build its nest. Its ideal habitat is therefore chestnut forests and sparse woods.
Bright woods, a world of flowers
In any season of the year, various species of flowers can be observed, even in the bright woods.
Once, the woods were pastured, wood was precious, and leaves were used as straw. The light that penetrated allowed the settlement of grasses and species of dry meadows such as common germander Teucrium chamaedrys and willow-leaved oxeye Buphthalmum salicifolium, thus becoming an important habitat for butterflies and other insects.
Dry stone walls rich in biodiversity
The dry stone walls that make up the terraces, which were once cultivated, are composed of plant species adapted to thin and dry soil. The walls of the biodiversity garden are dry meadows very rich in species, also thanks to their south-facing exposure. Dry meadows are among the most species-rich habitats and consequently very colorful in spring: the wide variety of flowers and the particular grassy structure constitute a vital space for numerous insects and other animals.
Compare the colors you see on the walls to those on the shaded plateaus under the olive trees, do you notice any differences?
Testimony of a rural past
As in other parts of Ticino, in the territory of Val Mara, there are many structures from the past built in stone.
These are the result of the population's needs, which adapted to the characteristics of the territory, modifying the landscape in their favor where possible and creating terraced agricultural areas on steep land. They have also emerged on the most rugged territories, next to the terraces, often in dry stone walls, little churches, farmhouses, chapels, stone paths, washhouses, and entire village clusters.
Nowadays, in parallel with the abandonment of many previously cultivated areas, many of these elements are no longer maintained and are falling into a state of neglect.
The dry stone walls and other stone structures still present in the territory bear witness to the valley's rural past and have a very significant socio-cultural value that must be preserved.
Which structures from the past can you notice around you?
Dry stone walls and small structures
A mosaic of small structures such as dry stone walls, piles of branches, wood or stones, tall trees with cavities, natural hedges, or dry meadows contribute in a fundamental way to promoting biodiversity. Many reptiles, insects, mammals, and birds depend on very varied environments to feed, nest, hide, etc. What types of structures can you find in the biodiversity garden?
For centuries, dry stone walls have been built without the use of lime or cement, as support for terraces or as demarcation of meadows and pastures, a job that requires specific skills.
Living conditions for flora and fauna are very difficult in a dry stone wall, so only species that can withstand large temperature variations inhabit it. Dry stone walls also host various plants that have adapted to life among the stones with very little water and soil available.
Borracina (Sedum album)
A typical plant of dry stone walls is the Borracina (Sedum album).
Its name recalls the word "flask", for the particularity of the leaves to retain water. Thanks to this characteristic, it can survive on stones and rocks exposed to high temperatures.
It is an evergreen plant that grows in a creeping and perennial way, turning brownish in winter. The stems with white flowers instead only grow in summer.
Asplenio (Asplenium trichomanes)
The Asplenio (Asplenium trichomanes) is a fern that prefers rocks and walls, settling in small cavities between stones.
It is often seen in dry stone walls. Ferns reproduce through the spores they produce, without flowers or seeds.
This lack of flowers has often led people to fantasize, leaving them puzzled.
The disbelief of the people reached such a point that magical powers were attributed to ferns.
Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
The Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) prefers dry habitats with thin and rocky soil.
It willingly feeds on the nectar of scabious and thistles, where it also spends the night. The larvae, on the other hand, mainly feed on buckwheat.
In our region, it is present from June to September.
To preserve this beautiful butterfly, the host plant for the larvae must be safeguarded and a sufficient number of thistles, scabious, and ambrettas ensured.
A lack of suitable nectariferous plants can be a limiting factor.
Ramarro (Lacerta bilineata)
The Ramarro (Lacerta bilineata) lives on sunny slopes with a rich vegetation of shrubs and dense herbs.
It also needs stony structures like dry stone walls or boulders to shelter and enjoy the heat accumulated by the stone.
In Switzerland, it is mainly present in Ticino and Valais, but in inhabited areas, it is mainly threatened by cats that hunt it.
Adult specimens reach an average length of 30 cm, but can also grow up to 40 cm. Its diet consists of insects, spiders, and snails.
