TERRITORY

The sabatino area has very ancient origins, dating back to over 500,000 years ago, when the first intense volcanic activity took place. The proof of such activity lies in the presence of materials such as tuff, pozzolan, peperino and traces of lava flow in general. The volcanic activity that took place around Sacrofano and that is now Lake Vico led to a sort of emptying of the underlying magma basin, causing the surface of the land to become lower in the sabatino area and hence giving rise to the hollow of lake Bracciano. All of this goes against the theory according to which the lake was said to have been contained within the crater of a volcano. Even today, it is still possible to clearly identify a series of volcanic craters in Baccano, Vigna di Valle, Trevignano, Oriolo and Stracciacappe. The volcanic formation of the territory is confirmed once again by the presence of large masses of water, such as those of Lake Bracciano and Lake Martignano regional Park, which was founded with the aim of protecting and safeguarding the historical, artistic and natural patrimony of this territory. Lake basins are alternated with mountains and hills that are no higher than 600 metres and that are mostly covered in forests and low-lying vegetation and partially by cultivations and pasture land. In the hilly forests the most common tree is the chestnut, there are also some oak, holm oak and beech trees. The fauna is quite varied: there are boar, moufflon, does, badgers, hedgehogs and birds of prey such as the brown kite and sparrow hawk. The shores of the lake are also home to a considerable number of species of aquatic birds, such as the wild duck, the grebe, the coot, the red-crested pochard and the ferruginous duck (the latter two of which are extremely rare).