The Cavagrande del Cassabile Nature Reserve is a Sicilian regional reserve with significant scenic, anthropological, hydrogeological, archaeological and speleological relevance. The river Cassabile flows through the reserve and in the course of time has formed a series of deep canyons and created a complex system of small waterfalls and pools for bathing in the valley floors. Established in 1990 with the aim of preserving the natural vegetation and restore the Mediterranean forest vegetation as well as defend and increase the Mediterranean fauna, the Cavagrande del Cassibile Orientated Nature Reserve covers a vast area of about 2.760 acres, in the boroughs of Avola, Noto and Siracusa. The protected area includes a stretch of about 10 km of the Cassibile river, one of the most important rivers of south eastern Sicily, that has cut a deep canyon out of the Hyblean plateau, reaching a depth of up to 250 meters in some parts and with the steep sides covered in thick vegetation.