Elaborazioni GIS 3D per la lettura del territorio:un esempio per la Riserva Naturale delle Salse di Nirano(Appennino Modenese)

The Regional Natural Reserve of Salse di Nirano is located in the low hill territory of the Modena Apennine, about 30 kilometers from Modena. The Reserve, visited yearly by about 50,000 people,was established in 1982 and its characteristic element are the so-called “Salse”. They are emissions of cold mud up to the surface through faults and fractures, due to the ascent of salty andmuddy water mixed mainly with gaseous (methane) and secondly with fluid hydrocarbons (petroleum veils). Depending on the density of the mud, at the surface it can be observed cones or pools at ground level. The products described below have been made for the promotion and the enhancement of the Reserve. The first consists of a three dimensional image, obtained from the 5 m DTM of the Emilia Romagna Region texturized with the Agea 2008 Digital Orthophoto, in order to let even non-experts to appreciate the particular morphology of the valley where the Salse are located and of the surrounding badlands. The image was published in the Tourist-EnvironmentalMap of the Regional Natural Reserve of Salse di Nirano characterized also by a Geotourist map that combines the most evident geological and geomorphological aspects with basic tourist information. In addition, it was made a short video based on scenes of a virtual flight on the territory of the Reserve (fly-through) obtained by using ESRI ArcScene, properly assembled and enriched with descriptive and didactical elements that highlight the mainly geomorphologicalaspects of the area. Everything has been completed with the toponyms and some pictures of the most distinctive or interesting subjects (the mud ejection points, the badlands, the Reserve’sfacilities, etc..). The video will be available at the Visitor Centre, at the Ecomuseum headquarters and on the Internet with the aim to "accompany" visitors in an engaging virtual guided tour to theprotected area, facilitating the understanding of the landscape