Forestami Academy's “In the Canopies” comes to schools across Milan
Milan, 14 September 2026 – This year, one hundred 4th and 5th grade primary school classes across the Metropolitan City of Milan will take part in “In the Canopies”, the new educational project of Forestami Academy – the programme dedicated to urban green spaces by Forestami in partnership with Prada Group – developed in collaboration with La Fabbrica SB, an organization accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit that develops and delivers educational projects for schools. Throughout the 2026/2027 academic year, the initiative will guide children as they discover the role of plants and, in particular, their canopies in the urban environment.
To support the educational project, a teacher's guide has been developed, providing resources and materials to integrate the project’s themes into classroom activities, together with a student diary that will accompany the children month by month in exploring the concept of Tree Canopy Cover. Through facts, games, quizzes, reading suggestions and writing prompts, the diary will encourage observation and reflection on the role of trees in cities and on the connections between the environment, well-being and everyday life.
Classes will also take part in workshops led by science communicators, designed to transform classroom learning into hands-on experiences and opportunities for reflection.
The initiative was presented during an open-air event held on Saturday 12 September at Parco Nord Milano, which welcomed children and families for a morning dedicated to nature. Through creative workshops designed to stimulate imagination and strengthen participants’ connection with the natural environment, educational activities and outdoor experiences, including a bicycle ride along the park’s trails, attendees had the opportunity to explore themes such as urban nature, biodiversity and the value of the environment.
“European policies on ecosystem restoration highlight the need to increase tree canopy cover in cities and to recognize the increasingly central role that urban greenery plays in people’s health and well-being” said Maria Chiara Pastore, Scientific Director of Forestami.“Together with Prada Group, through the ‘In the Canopies’ initiative, we aim to help foster greater awareness, starting from younger generations, of the role trees play within the urban environment and of the relationship between nature, urban space and quality of life.”
“Education is a fundamental tool for helping younger generations understand the transformations taking place in their local environments. While in previous years we worked with Forestami to engage and raise awareness among adult audiences, this year, through the ‘In the Canopies’ project, we want to accompany children on a journey that will help them discover the role of nature in everyday life and develop a deeper awareness of the environment around them”, commented Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Sustainability.
