Natural Reserve of Belice, the river Belice

Nature Reserve of Belice post on the border between the municipalities of Castelvetrano and Menfi, covers 129 hectares and is limited to the south from the Mediterranean Sea and north from the old railroad that linked Castelvetrano in Agrigento.
The area of reserve belice is extremely rich in fauna and flora, and is concerned at certain times of the passage of various species of migratory birds that stop here after the flight of the Mediterranean. Among the components of flora remembers the ravastrello sea, the marine lily, alfalfa navy, violaciocca wild fennel and the thorny coast.

In Reserve Belice, fauna more interesting is represented by certain species of beetles scarabeidi. How fauna of step, we find the anatidi and herons. The beach of Belice seems to be affected by the nesting sea turtle Mediterranean or famous as Turtle Caretta caretta.
The reserve Belice can easily be visited from Marinella of Selinunte, entering from the west side from the tip of pine forest, or following one of the branches that depart from Castelvetrano-Menfi and leading to very heart of the nature reserve.

Within the Reserve Belice, runs one of the most important rivers in the province of Trapani, River Belice (from Belich, name of a castle that probably stood at the confluence between the Belice right and the left one), besides being the largest of the three rivers that bathe the territory selinuntino, is one of the greatest of all Sicily.
At one time the river Belice was navigable for a long stretch, and it marked for millennia one of the main lines of communication between the interior and the coast belicina. This function is highlighted by a series of settlements found along its path, ranging from prehistoric times until the high Middle Ages in addition the river Belice, once pescosissimo, so that the prince of Castelvetrano granted in the gabelle "Pescheria del Belice" also called gabelle of them alosi, named after the most prized fish and abundant who was fishing in the river.

The river Belice to the violence of its water could be the operation of mills, is remarkable Mulino Old that, for its structure and the works of hydraulic engineering designed to make it work, denotes an Roman. The Old Mill, can be visited following a stradella along the river belice dipartendosi from the old highway for Menfi. River Belice interested in the territory of Castelvetrano with its end and the estuary. The river flow decreased gradually over the centuries for the varied climatic conditions, it was reduced to a few cubic meters per second after the achievement of the flooded north, but the river and the whole Valley of Belice remain a the most beautiful natural scenery and evocative of Sicily.