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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.
THIRD YEAR: 2025
The Forestami Academy is back with a new training series of three lessons. For 2025, the central theme is: “Plants in cities: do we really know them?”, a journey through green architecture, biodiversity and invisible relationships between plants, soil and citizens.
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.
SECOND APPOINTMENT
The second meeting, entitled “Greener cities, better lives: the role of plant biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban spaces” is scheduled for Wednesday 18th June at Triennale Milano, with the participation of Tiziana Ulian of the University of Turin, Honorary Research Associate, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (UK).
THIRD APPOINTMENT
The third and final meeting, scheduled for September 2025, will be a field experience with workshops focused on the recognition of greenery that will allow the knowledge acquired to be put into practice.
«The importance of greenery and its benefits to people’s well-being is a subject dear to the Prada Group as demonstrated by our ‘garden-factory’ architectural projects, in which nature is the key element. The cultural challenge of the second year will be to understand the impact – supported by scientific evidence – that trees have on quality of life for all of us, both from an emotional and physical perspective. People's health also depends on knowing what can benefit their well-being. The Group will work alongside the Academy on this journey of discovery.»
Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility
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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