Professor Robin Doughty (second right) led a field hike for his SEMS 3500 class to Parco Regionale della Maremma in Tuscany during the Fall 2014 voyage stop in Italy. Much of the park has been reclaimed from the marshes and is now a valuable location for studying rare and threatened plants and animals.In addition to protecting the flora and fauna of the coastal region, the park has several towers, some dating back to the 12th century.The hiking trails varied from paved roads to dirt paths and sandy beaches.The ascent to Castelmarino tower provided a unique view of the pine tree canopy below.
The descent to the sandy coast biome provided different vegetation as well as a welcomed dip in the Mediterranean.