Dresano

Dresano is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Milan. As of 31 October 2010, it had a population of 2,987 and an area of 3.5 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi). It is the smallest municipality in Italy by surface. Dresano borders the following municipalities: Mediglia, Tribiano, Mulazzano, Colturano, Vizzolo Predabissi, Casalmaiocco. Etymology The name Dresano is due to the presence, in these swampy areas, of three inlets, three "sinuses", from which the name evolved over the centuries: Tresseno --> Tressano --> Tresano --> Dresano. The three inlets appear in the coat of arms too, surmounted by three poplar trees, the poplar being one of the most typical local trees. Local history . The old village hosts the remains of one of its most ancient buildings: on the East side of Piazza Manzoni the wall of an establishment with a massive wooden double door is found, which was part of the convent of the benedictines, who performed the hard task of draining and cultivating the swampy territories around. In this area malaria (swamp fever) took its toll. Climate The climate in Dresano is characterised by sultry summers, and rainy, cold winters. Occasionally, heavy snowfall occurs; in 1995 a particularly heavy snowfall blocked the roads, paralysing traffic and forcing schools to close for several days. The end of August-early September is characterised by violent thunderstorms and heavy sleet which signal the end of summer. Topography The village is divided into four smaller areas: the old village (Dresano vecchio), Madonnina (built in the 1960s), Villaggio ambrosiano (erected in the 1970s) and Villaggio Helios (begun in the 1990s). The old village shows one of the oldest farms in the area, Cascina Belpensiero, which displays a secular tree in the middle of the farmyard. This dairy farm is already mentioned in written historical sources dating back to 1500, and it is still surrounded by fields, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the village. Every year, in May, the dairy farm holds the traditional "Quater Pass per un Vitel", an amatorial footrace, organised by the local sports group Gruppo Sportivo Marciatori San Giorgio (San Giorgio being the local patron saint). The prize for such race is a live calf. There are three different options for the race: 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), and 21 kilometres (13 mi). Schools The village has schools covering the compulsory schooling cycle: 2 nursery schools: one municipality-run (in the Villaggio ambrosiano) and one parish-run (in the old village) a primary school ('scuola elementare', 6–11 years)(in the Villaggio ambrosiano) a middle school ('scuola media', 11–14 years)(in the Villaggio ambrosiano) Free time Although small, Dresano has a variety of free time associations which, by their effort and enthusiasm, liven up village life, preventing Dresano from becoming a mere satellite of Milan. They are: Gruppo sportivo marciatori San Giorgio (walkers' group) Auser (providing assistance to the elderly and the disabled) Dresano Calcio (soccer team) Dresano Basket (basketball team) Events Carnevale dresanese (carnival): February Dresano fiorita (flower show): 2nd Sunday of April "Quater pass per un vitel": 1st Sunday of June (footrace) Marcia serale Belpensiero (footrace): June (non-competitive footrace by night) Festa dell'uva (grapevine fair): 2nd Sunday of September The gym and the municipal library, managed by volunteers, are located in the school complex of the Villaggio ambrosiano. Ecology Dresano owns a water purification plant. The water purifier can be found along the Addetta floodway, close to Balbiano. Fields in Dresano territory are intensely farmed. The most popular cultivations are: wheat barley fodder maize oilseed rape Biodiversity Dresano, a farmland tradition town, has shown in the last few years an increased level of biodiversity, thanks to various animal and plant species, that live mainly along waterways. Wild animals Local noticeable wild animal species, especially on the Addetta floodway banks, include: BIRDS grey heron pheasant finch (fringilla coelebs) moorhen little egret mallard (anas platyrhynchos) kingfisher blackbird green woodpecker (Picus viridis) thrush (turdus philomelos) nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) MAMMALS european rabbit hare (lepus europaeus) coypu (nutria) bat: the bat is a wonderful living and natural insecticide, being a voracious mosquito hunter frog hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) fox INSECTS bumble bee: an excellent gauge for environmental pollution level dragonfly glow-worm FISHES barbel mediterranean barbel (dog barbel, southern barbel) crucian carp chub pumpkinseed (common sunfish) walking catfish redfin perch scardinius erythrophtalmus tench AMPHIBIANS green lizard frog toad CRUSTACEANS river mussel (anodonta cygnea) a black and red huge crayfish, not yet identified Wild vegetation humulus lupulus, also called wild asparagus, but it is actually a species of the hop plant): it can be added to soups, omelettes, salads, rice, or boiled and dressed with olive oil and lemon. Gather the apex throws (only the last four inches) in March–April. It is purifying, refreshing, and favors kidney drainage. evergreen hawthorn Roman chamomile horsetail fig (ficus) black mulberry hibiscus (scarlet rose-mallow) white horse-chestnut tree peppermint (brandy mint) walnut hazel onice: women's clogs were once made with its wood, since it doesn't warm feet too much plane tree white poplar black poplar aspen wild plum tree black locust (false acacia) Blackberry bush (Blackberry bramble) elder grapevine Demographic evolution References ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat. External links www.melegnano.net/dresano/index.html