A small glacial lake and protected biotope in the Trentino Alps
Lago d'Ampola
Lago d'Ampola is a small glacial lake in the autonomous province of Trento, in northern Italy, nestled in the Ampola valley southwest of Tiarno di Sopra. It sits near the watershed divide between the Sarca–Garda basin and the Chiese basin, with the short rio val Ovri as its main tributary and the Palvico as its outflow. Today the lake and the surrounding wetland are protected as a designated biotope (EUAP0482), established in 1990 by the Autonomous Province of Trento to safeguard a distinctive habitat of marsh, reedbed, open water, and mixed montane forest.
Despite its modest size, the area carries strong ecological weight because it preserves a layered glacial landscape and a remarkably diverse range of flora and fauna. White and yellow water lilies colonize the open water, common reed and flowering rush form broad marsh belts, and montane woodland of spruce, beech, and Scots pine frames the basin. The wetland is also an important stopover and breeding area for numerous bird species and supports a varied community of mammals, invertebrates, and amphibians.
The combination of glacial origin, relatively recent ecological restoration from past landfill use, and rich biodiversity gives Lago d'Ampola a significance that goes well beyond its small surface area. It functions both as a quiet natural refuge within the Val di Ledro area and as a representative example of an Alpine wetland biotope under active provincial stewardship.
