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Forestami is an innovative project driven by the urgent need to purify the air, improve living conditions, and combat the adverse effects of climate change. With the support of Prada Group and various influential entities, including the Metropolitan City of Milan and the Municipality of Milan, the project aims to plant an impressive 3 million trees by 2030, representing a significant stride towards a greener future.
FORESTAMI ACADEMY MEETINGS AND EVENTS TO TRANSLATE KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE
The Forestami Academy project is a significant advancement in addressing climate change and its environmental impact. Governments and communities recognize the importance of urban forestry education and have embraced this joint initiative by Forestami and Prada Group. The three-year program, led by distinguished lecturer Maria Chiara Pastore from Milan Polytechnic, offers a comprehensive curriculum with meetings, seminars, and workshops featuring national and international forestry experts.
NEW CYCLE: 2026
Prada Group presents the new cycle Forestami Academy 2026, dedicated to the theme of Tree Canopy Cover, today a key indicator in evaluating the ecological quality of urban and peri-urban environments.
Tree Canopy Cover measures the vertical projection of tree crowns onto the ground, offering an objective and measurable reading of arboreal presence and its ecosystem functions: shading, heat island mitigation, carbon sequestration, biodiversity enhancement, and the psychophysical well-being of citizens.
Integrated into this initiative is an educational program aimed at engaging younger generations with Tree Canopy Cover and environmental stewardship. The program —developed in collaboration with Forestami and La Fabbrica (an entity accredited by the Ministry of Education that develops school projects) — involves 4th and 5th-grade classes from various primary schools across the Metropolitan City of Milan.
MARCH: “IN THE CANOPIES” INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
On March 19th, 2026, the “In the Canopies” international conference was held at the Orangerie of Museo Poldi Pezzoli in Milan. It was a morning of in-depth sessions with international experts dedicated to the potential of tree canopies in urban environments. The discussions focused on satellite monitoring, the planning of green spaces, and the framework of European policies. This dialogue between researchers, technicians, and institutions aims to strengthen awareness of the central role canopies play in climate resilience, environmental quality, and the sustainable development of cities.
«For Prada Group, education is a priority and a key element of the vision behind the partnership with Forestami and the Forestami Academy project. With the launch of this new cycle, dedicated to exploring the essential role of tree canopies in the urban context, we reaffirm our commitment to placing education at the centre, through a pathway designed to involve families and, in particular, the children of Milan’s schools.»
LORENZO BERTELLI, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of Prada Group
«Tree Canopy Cover will increasingly become a central tool for understanding and governing the ecological transformation of cities. It is not only a matter of counting trees, but of reading the city through its canopies, which become structural indicators of urban ecological quality, comparable to current urban‑planning standards, and which make it possible to plan interventions, foster shared responsibility between the public and private sectors, and align local policies with Europe’s nature‑restoration objectives.»
MARIA CHIARA PASTORE, Scientific Director of Forestami
THIRD YEAR: 2025
MAY - FIRST LESSON
“PLANTS IN THE CITY”
On Thursday 15th May, Triennale Milano hosted the first event of the third year of Forestami Academy.
This year’s cycle opened with the event entitled “Plants in the city”, introduced by Maria Chiara Pastore, Scientific Coordinator of Forestami and Associate Professor at the Politecnico University in Milan, and given by Paola Bonfante, Professor Emeritus of Plant Biology at the University of Turin and member of the Accademia dei Lincei, one of the leading Italian experts in plant microbiology.
The discussion also touched on crucial issues such as the absorption of CO₂, the impoverishment of urban soil, the choice of the most suitable plant species and the importance of plants and microorganisms as integrated systems, whose evolution is closely interconnected.
The day concluded with a walk in Parco Sempione during which the participants tried to recognise the different species of trees under the guidance of Fabio Campana, Agronomist in charge of Environmental Services at Parco Nord Milano, along with Agrotechnician Andrea Montorio, and Forestry Manager Riccardo Tucci, Senior Technical Officer at Parco Nord Milano.
JUNE - SECOND LESSON
"GREENER CITIES, BETTER LIVES: THE ROLE OF PLANT BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM-BASED SERVICES IN URBAN SPACES"
On Wednesday 18th June, Triennale Milano hosted the second event of the third year of Forestami Academy.
The speaker of the day was Tiziana Ulian, an international expert in plant ecology and biodiversity conservation, Associate Professor of the University of Turin and Honorary Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), who has demonstrated an insight into the crucial role of plant biodiversity and ecosystem-based services in the urban environment, as well as the current and potential role of botanic gardens.
This second event closed with a walk in Parco Sempione. Under the guidance of Fabio Campana, Agronomist in charge of Environmental Services at Parco Nord Milano, along with Agrotechnician Andrea Montorio, and Forestry Manager and Riccardo Tucci, Senior Technical Officer at Parco Nord Milano, the participants explored the urban nature of Milan’s historic park, one of the best-loved in the city.
SEPTEMBER – THIRD LESSON
“CITIES AND NATURAL CAPITAL: BEST PRACTICES IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY”
On Thursday 18th September 2025, the third and final meeting of Forestami Academy was held at Parco Nord Milano.
The subject was explored during the event by Giulia Capotorti, Associate Professor of Applied and Environmental Botany at the Sapienza University of Rome, who placed particular emphasis on the urgency of bringing nature into a central focus in city life.
The event offered a practical glimpse into the best practices in Italy for the protection and re-establishment of urban ecosystems, those based on sound scientific knowledge but that also require targeted investment, public governance and the active participation of the city’s inhabitants.
The day ended with a guided tour of Parco Nord Milano by expert agronomists, identifying and getting to know woods of different ages, and seeing their evolution in a peri-urban context.
Second year: 2024
May - first lesson
“WELL-BEING IN OUR CITIES”
On Friday 10th May, the first meeting of the second training year of the Forestami Academy took place in the Salone D'Onore of the Milan Triennale.
Around 100 citizens of different ages and professional backgrounds were divided into work groups to take part in the training day entitled “Wellbeing in our cities”.
The presentation by Matilda van den Bosch, senior researcher at the Biocities Facility of the European Forest Institute and scientist at the Institute for Global Health in Barcelona (Spain), showed how urban natural spaces contribute to a better, healthier and longer quality of life and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases. It is therefore important to identify and implement synergies between environmental and human health objectives.
Ilaria Doimo, researcher at ETIFOR, a spin-off of the University of Padua, went on to discuss the characteristics of urban forests that can promote well-being and the “principles of equity” that must underpin the relationship between the presence of green spaces and urban forests and improving the health of cities and their inhabitants.
June - second lesson
“WHY ARE URBAN FORESTS SO IMPORTANT FOR US? TALKING ABOUT TREES TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH”
On Friday 21st June, the second meeting of the second training year of the Forestami Academy, entitled “Why are urban forests so important for us? Talking about trees to talk about health” took place. The speech of Francesco Ferrini, Professor of Arboriculture and Tree Cultivation at the University of Florence analyzed the extensive and varied biodiversity in cities and investigated its role in the balance of a world that is constantly changing.
Federica Marando, Scientific Officer at the European Commission – Joint Research Centre, explored how current urban ecosystems contain a variety of elements (forests, parks and agricultural areas) that play an important role as habitats for animal and plant species, but also for human health.
Both experts agree on the importance of being familiar with and developing the enormous potential of biodiversity in urban settings, and its fundamental role in making cities more sustainable and resilient places.
October - Third lesson
“FOREST THERAPY: NATURE AS A TOOL FOR PROMOTING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING”
On 25 October the last Forestami Academy event of the year was held at Parco Nord Milano. As the previous events, the outdoor session was fully attended.
During the excursion, Francesco Becheri, Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Professor at the University of Florence, led the100 citizens present to explore, first-hand, through a guided experience of immersion in nature, how one’s emotional state can change significantly, fostering an improved sense of well-being, developing positive emotions and reducing negative ones.
The public also took part in the workshop “Experiencing the Mind in Nature” by Elena Barbierato, Doctoral Researcher in the Sustainable Management of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Resources at the University of Florence and Viola Benedetti, Doctoral Researcher in Neuroscience and Professor at the University of Florence, which provided practical examples of the effects of greenery and nature on cerebral and cognitive functions.
OPEN-AIR CINEMA
“NATURE TAKES THE STAGE”
In 2024, Prada Group launched the initiative Open-Air Cinema – Nature Takes the Stage, two complimentary evenings, dedicated to Forestami Academy, presenting documentaries selected by Festival CinemAmbiente, the international cinema event dedicated to the environment.
On the occasion of the event, the following feature films were screened: “Les saisons” by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud | France/Germany 2016, 95’ and “Il était une forêt” by Luc Jacquet | France 2013, 78’.
FIRST YEAR: 2023
May – First Lesson
"WHAT IS AN URBAN FOREST?"
On May 12th 2023, Forestami Academy held its inaugural gathering, featuring esteemed speakers Maria Chiara Pastore from Politecnico University in Milan and the Scientific Director of Forestami, along with Professor Cecil Konijnendijk from the University of British Columbia and Professor Simone Borelli from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The event, attended by approximately 100 enthusiastic participants, focused on the theme of the first learning module: "What is an Urban Forest?"
The engaging discussions centred around enhancing green spaces in the local community, with attendees organized into thematic working groups to facilitate meaningful exchanges of ideas. The session highlighted the vital role of trees in improving well-being, combatting pollution, preserving soil integrity, promoting biodiversity, and fostering social interactions. Emphasizing the multifaceted benefits of urban forests, the gathering underscored the significance of investing in and cultivating green spaces within urban environments.
June - Second Lesson
“WHERE ARE THE URBAN FORESTS?”
On June 30th 2023, the second meeting of Forestami Academy took place at the prestigious Salone D'Onore of Triennale Milano. The event brought together around 100 citizens from diverse age groups who actively participated in various working groups throughout the training day. Maria Chiara Pastore, a Tenured Researcher at Politecnico di Milano and the Scientific Director of Forestami, opened the session and introduced keynote speeches by Fabio Salbitano from the University of Sassari and René van der Velde, an Associate Professor specializing in Urban Forestry & Landscape Architecture at Delft University of Technology.
During the session, Professor Salbitano discussed different types of urban forests and stressed the importance of deliberate tree planting for specific goals like mitigating heat islands or promoting psychophysical health. Professor Van der Velde presented his research on the urban forest in lowland cities of the Netherlands, highlighting the influence of trees on cities' form and identity, and the need for integrated and balanced systems in shaping urban environments.
October - Third lesson
“HOW IS AN URBAN FOREST FORMED?”
The third and final event of the 2023 training course took place on October 2nd at Cascina Centro Parco - Parco Nord Milano. A guided walk in an Urban Forest of the metropolitan city of Milan with Giorgio Vacchiano, associate professor Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Territory, Agroenergy, University of Milan.
The around 100 participating citizens, after a theoretical introduction, were able to take a closer look at the peculiarities of the urban forests of Parco Nord Milano and the different tree species present. They also participated in clean-up activities. On this occasion the Prada Group announced its contribution to support the restoration of Parco Nord Milano, one of the most important green lungs in the metropolitan area covering 800 hectares, which was damaged by a severe storm.
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