Milan, 19^th March 2026 – Why is Tree Canopy Cover such a prominent topic today? And how is the role of trees changing within urban policies and institutional decision‑making?

Europe’s perspective on cities is changing: trees are no longer seen as simple urban decoration, but as true urban infrastructure, measured through Tree Canopy Cover, the indicator that quantifies how much of the urban surface is covered by tree crowns and, consequently, how much nature is integrated into built environments. In line with the Nature Restoration Law (European Union Regulation 2024/1991 on nature restoration), which sets binding targets for ecosystem restoration by 2030 and identifies 2027 as a crucial intermediate milestone for the implementation of concrete actions, trees become structural indicators of ecological quality, comparable to existing urban planning standards, introducing a new “grammar” in which the canopy becomes an objective and measurable environmental parameter. Within this framework sits the 3 Billion Trees Challenge, the EU commitment to planting at least three billion trees by 2030, based on the principle of planting and growing “the right tree, in the right place, for the right purpose.”

Several leading international experts provided an overview of these topics at the “In the Canopies” conference, organized in Milan (at the Museo Poldi Pezzoli) by Forestami (the project aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and improving the liveability of neighbourhoods by increasing urban greenery in the Metropolitan City of Milan through the expansion of tree canopies and the planting of 3 million trees) within the framework of Forestami Academy, the educational program dedicated to urban green spaces, now in its fourth year with a new edition developed in partnership with Prada Group.

During the conference, the new educational project of Forestami Academy with Prada Group was also presented. Developed in collaboration with La Fabbrica and aimed at 100 4th and 5th grade classes across the metropolitan City of Milan, the project places trees, and in particular their canopies, at the centre of an urban environmental education pathway that describes them as natural infrastructure essential for providing protection from sun and wind, improving air quality, fostering biodiversity, and making cities more resilient. At the heart of the project is a personalized student diary that will accompany students throughout the 2026–2027 school year, featuring observations, creative activities, and writing spaces; a dedicated teacher’s guide; and a series of experiential workshops - both scientific and artistic‑urban - which will be presented during an immersive day at Parco Nord Milano, transforming trees into open‑air classrooms and allowing children, families, and citizens to directly experience the value of Tree Canopy Cover for the quality of life in 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,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of Prada Group.