The reserve has been opened to preserve the island and the unique environment dominated by the volcano who beats the time of the inhabitants by its regular and continuous explosions.

The Strombolian activity takes its name from this volcano and it is characterised by the emission of sand and vapours and explosions ejecting burning stones and pieces of lava. The more instable part of the island is the Sciara del Fuoco, a huge descent where the material coming out from the volcano rolls down to the sea. It is on the Sciara that in 2002 a landslide came down creating the tsunami that hit the island.

Strombolicchio is made up of what remains of an ancient volcano that has been eroded by the sea, wind and rains. It is a rock into the sea with a lighthouse to prevent the ships from hitting it. It rises at about 1,5 Km from the northern coast of Stromboli.