Garda is losing its reed beds. They risk to disappear

21 April 2026

The reed beds of Lake Garda now have an expiration date: they risk disappearing within 20 years. This is the warning issued by WWF Bergamo-Brescia: “It is a real emergency,” says spokesperson Paolo Zanollo. “Over the past decades, they have drastically declined—and it’s not just an impression: a 2019 study on the lower Brescia side of the lake documented that, between 2009 and 2018, they shrank by 34.84%, with more than 66,000 square meters lost. All reed beds have either shrunk or disappeared completely. Without action, they risk vanishing entirely within 20 years.”

A study had been carried out by the Five Star Movement, examining five macro-areas from Salò to Sirmione, where the total reed bed area covered 190,281 square meters in 2009, but only 123,985 square meters in 2018 (a loss of 66,296 square meters, -34.84%).

The map of the damage

The most critical areas were those between Manerba and Desenzano (11,903 square meters of reed beds lost, -43.94%), between Desenzano and western Sirmione (16,271 square meters lost, -45.2%), and eastern Sirmione (27,350 square meters lost, -38.23%). In some specific areas, up to 75% was lost, such as in Padenghe, while others (in Desenzano) disappeared completely. The municipalities of Desenzano and Sirmione attempted protection and renaturalization efforts, with limited success.
 

“Targeted interventions are not enough if the root causes are not addressed, and these are multiple,” Zanollo continues. “Untreated discharges, outdated sewage systems, overloads, fluctuating lake levels, mechanical cutting, construction along the shores, and the increase of non-native species. In addition, cleaning and waste removal are carried out almost exclusively by volunteers and associations.”
 

If the reed beds suffer, the entire ecosystem suffers: “Reed beds purify water, protect the shores, and serve as nurseries for fish, invertebrates, and birds. Their loss accelerates the degradation of the lake. A plan is needed for research, monitoring, regular maintenance, banning shoreline construction, and targeted interventions on pollution and water level fluctuations. If we do not act now with concrete and continuous measures, in a few years there will be nothing left to save.”

Read the article: https://www.bresciaoggi.it//territorio-bresciano/garda/il-garda-sta-perdendo-i-suoi-canneti-entro-20-anni-saranno-tutti-scomparsi-1.12988168