The Lipu oasis known as the stork and waterfowl centre lies in the Migliabruna hamlet, on a stretch of plain north of Racconigi, behind the park of the royal castle. It was established in 1985 and falls within the site of community importance that groups the park of Racconigi and the woods along the Maira torrent.
What to see
The centre was created with one precise aim: to help repopulate the white stork, which had died out in these parts from the eighteenth century onwards. In 1989 the waterfowl project was added, to protect rare or endangered geese, ducks and swans, and in particular to reintroduce the white-headed duck, a species gone from Italy since the Seventies. In 1995 the centre restored a wetland to encourage the return of migratory birds, above all waders.
Visiting
The facilities are a visitor centre, the wetland, the stork area, a nature trail with signs about flora, fauna and the main natural features, and two bird-watching points. You can walk round on your own or book a guided visit with the naturalist guides. The complex also includes the wildlife recovery centre.
Our editors' tip
Bring binoculars and be prepared to stay still: from the two hides you see far more than by walking, and the difference between a good visit and a disappointing one lies almost entirely there. Spring is the best time, when the storks are on the nest and migrants stop in the wetland.