TORINO (ITALPRESS) – Telling a new culture of green, able to value the investments of the PNRR and strengthen the link between the environment and the Turin community: this is the heart of Reforestation, the initiative aimed at promoting and disseminating the good practices of the Investment “Tutela e valorization del verde urban e extraurbano” that falls within mission 2 of the PNRR. Promoted by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, with the support of Axpo Italia and Pulsee Luce and Gas, he made a new stop in Turin, in the presence of local institutions, environmental experts, academics and representatives of the promoting realities. A moment of discussion dedicated to the role of metropolitan cities in the development of nature-based solutions and in the dissemination of sustainable regeneration models, in line with the European strategy for forests at 2030. Turin has developed a strong link with its green heritage over 320 km of tree-lined avenues and a widespread system of urban and suburban parks represent a significant example of integration between nature and anthropized spaces. In this regard, the Piedmontese capital has joined the international “Tree Cities of the World” programme, jointly organized by the FAO and the Arbor Day Foundation, which rewards cities using urban forestry to improve the sustainability and viability of their territory. 93% of citizens recognize the importance of green areas for their psychophysical well-being, while 84% are satisfied with their accessibility. This sensitivity also extends to the environmental dimension: 89% of the Turinese identify in green an effective tool to counter the effects of climate change, while 91% emphasise the importance of being able to have green spaces near the places of life and work. Green also assumes an identity value: for 93% of citizens contribute to defining the character of the city and, for 85%, requalification interventions would positively affect the overall judgement against the administration. Finally, the theme of the extension of green surfaces remains central, indicated as a priority by three torinese on four. The investment “Tutela e valorization del verde urban e extraurbano”, part of Mission 2 of the PNRR – “Rivoluzione verde e transition ecological”, Component “Tutela del territorio e della resource water” – is part of this context of increasing interest in environmental quality. With a total budget of 210 million euros, the programme provides for the establishment of 4.5 million trees and shrubs on a national scale, the construction of 4,500 hectares of new forests, contributing to the preservation of ecosystems and the improvement of environmental conditions in 14 Metropolitan Cities. The interventions are included in the Ecoregione del Bacino Occidentale del Po, a territory characterized by the presence of rivers and channels and subject to critical issues related to intensive agriculture, drought and water pollution. In this area, the reduction of share forests has increased the risk of erosion and loss of biodiversity. The planned actions aim to strengthen ecological resilience through the planting of more than 700,000 trees with 8 projects in Turin, with species such as betulles, poplars, willows and alders that will be placed along the waterways, contributing to the stabilization of the banks and the improvement of water quality. Querce and ash will instead be used to reduce erosion in agricultural areas, while shrubs such as leech, prugnolo and hazelnut will favour biodiversity and s protectionhole. In the specific area of the Metropolitan City of Turin, the target for the year 2022 was exceeded while, for the year 2023-2024 (expired in 2026), the objective was completed to 75%. Axpo Italia and Pulsee Luce e Gas, a company offering energy solutions for businesses and domestic customers, contribute to the Reforestation initiative through activities aimed at communication and enhancement of the project, as well as the development of digital monitoring tools for reforestation actions. In this area the Riforestazioneitalia.it platform, created by the urban-tech company SuperUrbanity, which represents a centralized access point to consult information, deepen the interventions and follow the evolution of the activities of requalification of the green heritage on a national scale. At the same time, Reforestation promotes the active involvement of new generations, recognized as protagonists of sustainable change. The initiative includes training courses with selected Italian universities and the call for ideas “Pianta Un Idea”, the project, aimed at young people between 18 and 30 years, with the aim of gathering concrete proposals for environmental protection and regeneration of green. In his video interview, Minister for the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin commented: “The reforestation project conducted through the PNRR has brought a tangible result from the great environmental significance for the Metropolitan Cities involved, including of course our Turin. From the beginning – he has emphasized – we have undertaken this work with great technical-scientific care, availing us of the contribution of the Carabinieri’s Arma to plant species consistent with the characteristics of the territories. The protection of forest heritage as part of our national biodiversity strategy at 2030 is a major priority of this Ministry that we carry on several levels. National, European and global level. It is a continuous effort of cultural and educational order that needs technical-scientific approach and together of exhibition simplicity, with a strong sharing of intent.”“Reforestation” was born to valorize the measure of the PNRR dedicated to the protection and strengthening of urban green – said Fabrizio Penna, Head of Mission Unit for the PNRR of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security -. In the Metropolitan City of Turin, in a context with a strong industrial vocation, the project takes on a particularly important meaning, demonstrating the possibility of combining economic development, environmental sustainability and quality of life. Interventions aim to strengthen urban biodiversity, improve the quality of the environment and contribute concretely to adaptation to climate change. The increase in green areas and the abomination of new arboreal and shrub species make urban spaces more vivable and welcoming, improve air quality and contribute to contrasting waves of heat, pollution and soil consumption. It is an investment that produces immediate and lasting benefits for citizens, increasing comfort, usability of spaces and resilience of the territory. Finally, the project promotes a shared vision of green care, involving local institutions and bodies in a common commitment to more sustainable and viable cities.” Francesco Tresso, Councillor for Public Green and Fiumi of the City of Turin, added that “the urban foresting activities promoted by MASE thanks to PNRR funding are a concrete opportunity to strengthen biodiversity and counteract air pollution and the effects of climate change. Intervention along the river areas and in particular, in the territory of the western basin of the Po, means not only increase the verdant heritageand the Metropolitan City of Turin, but also stabilize the banks and make the ecosystems more resilient. The forest project contributes to the restoration of ecological corridors and the redevelopment of urban and extra-urban areas, with tangible benefits for the environment and health. An investment that effectively improves the quality of life of citizens.” “Reforestation” was born with the aim of accompanying a cultural transformation that puts green and the environment at the center of the development of cities. Turin is a particularly significant example in this sense, thanks to its historical attention to the arboreal heritage and the ability to integrate it into the urban fabric, making it a distinctive feature of its identity. This initiative allows us to contribute to greater collective awareness, enhancing the role of green as a strategic infrastructure for the welfare of the community”, said Alicia Lubrani, CEO of Pulsee Luce and Gas and CMO of Axpo Italy. The appointment of Turin continues the path of Reforestation in the main Italian cities, bringing to public attention a concrete reflection on how development and sustainability can be combined in a long-term vision.
– photo xb4/Italpress –(ITALPRESS).
