WWF Oasis Spring — Cascate del Rio Verde

The WWF Oasis Spring in Borrello

The WWF Oasis Spring is the major national initiative through which WWF Italy opens its network of protected areas to the public every year, with over a hundred events across the peninsula. In Abruzzo, the event involves six oases, including the Cascate del Rio Verde in Borrello, a small mountain town in the province of Chieti, overlooking the middle Sangro valley.

For several weeks, between late spring and early summer, the Cascate del Rio Verde Regional Nature Reserve becomes the stage for guided tours, educational workshops, nature courses, and performances. It is an opportunity to discover one of the most spectacular landscapes in Abruzzo, accompanied by guides, biologists, and WWF volunteers.

The highest waterfalls in the Apennines

The heart of the reserve is the Rio Verde, which plunges into the valley with three drops of 40, 90, and 30 meters, for a total elevation change of over 200 meters: these are the highest perennial natural waterfalls in the entire Apennine chain. The protected area covers approximately 287 hectares and preserves beech forests, rare silver fir woods, and holm oak forests that coexist in the deep gorges, along with dozens of species of wild orchids.

The fauna is equally rich: from the river crayfish, the oasis's symbolic species, to the white-throated dipper, the common buzzard, the peregrine falcon, and elusive mammals like the polecat and the wildcat. A natural heritage protected by the Municipality of Borrello with the technical-scientific support of the IAAP, the Abruzzese Institute for Protected Areas.

Activities and experiences

During the WWF Oasis Spring, the program offers a variety of activities for all ages:

• Guided hikes along the reserve's trails, from the Nature Path to the evocative Cascate del Verde Path;
• Workshops for families and children, including nature observation and creative activities;
• Nature courses dedicated to identifying fauna and watercolor landscape painting;
• Meetings with biologists and WWF volunteers, with in-depth looks at conservation projects;
• Open-air performances and cultural entertainment in the greenery.

An experience for the whole family

Thanks to the Environmental Education Center housed in the former distillery in the center of Borrello — equipped with an info point, library, and conference room — the reserve welcomes visitors, school groups, and enthusiasts throughout the year. However, the WWF Oasis Spring represents the most vibrant moment, when the calendar is enriched with special events and the interior of Abruzzo shows the most authentic face of its protected nature.