In Lombardy many natural environments are interrupted by great infrastructures and are facing critical conservation situations. Habitat fragmentation and environmental decline limit the chance of animals to move and reproduce, find nourishment, water and shelter, with serious consequences on the ecosystems’ balance.
River basins are areas of great relevance for biodiversity: they are crucial places that allow species, both in water and terrestrial ecosystems, to spread around and colonise new areas. Through interventions across the whole province of Varese, north to south, the Olona basin can go back to be an important ecological corridor between Switzerland and Italy.
The restoration of river banks, the vegetation redevelopment, the improvement of subways for fauna and the reinstatement of humid areas connected to the river help strengthening a network in which species will be able to move more freely.

Reducing the impact of large infrastructures that cut through the Padania plain is possible: the project tests systems to bypass rails as well as innovative anti-collision installations to avoid the “roadkill” phenomenon - the impact between vehicles and wild animals.

Environment is a common and precious resource, which needs to be carefully protected. In order to foster environmental change that is both participated and shared, the project entails the organization of training courses, events, laboratories and walks across green areas.

In order for citizens to learn about their territory and how to protect it, we organise “open building site days”, we create networks of citizens that function as “witnesses” of the local area and we improve the fruition of some areas, among which the Springs of Tenore and the humid area of Fagnano Olona, which are particularly relevant for reptiles and amphibians (Area of Regional Herpetological Relevance).
The Olona River Ecosystem is a project funded by Fondazione Cariplo, cofounded by the Inter-municipal Local Park Rile Tenore Olona with quotas coming from interventions realised within the framework of the Contatto di Fiume Olona - Bozzente - Lura and supported by the University of Insubria, Ferrovie Nord s.p.a. and Parco dei Mughetti.
The initiative is made possible by many municipalities, local organisations and businesses that have chosen to join forces for the conservation and valorisation of biodiversity.