NEWS

Milan, June 30^th, 2023 - The second meeting of Forestami Academy, the three-year training programme created by Prada Group and Forestami to promote and encourage urban forestry principles, values and scientific ideas, was held today at the Salone D'Onore of Triennale Milano. About 100 citizens of different ages, divided into working groups, took part in the training day entitled "Where are the urban forests?".

Maria Chiara Pastore - Tenured Researcher at the Politecnico di Milano and Scientific Director of Forestami, presented the speeches of Fabio Salbitano (University of Sassari) and René van der Velde (Associate Professor Urban Forestry & Landscape Architecture, Delft University of Technology - Delft, Netherlands).

Professor Salbitano, starting from the definition of urban forest, emphasized the existence of different types of urban forests. Where and which trees to plant are closely related aspects and depend on the purpose, which can be, for example, to mitigate heat islands, to provide benefits to psychophysical health, to limit the development of possible epidemics. He ended with a call to remember that it is not enough to plant trees but to take care of them.

Professor René van der Velde, on the other hand, recounted the results of his research on the urban forest in the lowland cities of the Netherlands. Starting with the historical development of the Dutch urban forest and analyzing the complex interrelationship over time between trees, life and urban fabric, the changes wrought by a developing urban forest on the form and identity of cities, neighborhoods and entire regions and their impact on social, ecological, environmental and economic character were put under the magnifying glass. The invitation to citizens is to see the city as a hybrid forest, in which different systems coexist, because only in this way is it possible to activate change capable of shaping cities according to new perspectives, with integrated and balanced systems.

The third and final event of the 2023 training course will take place on October 2^nd and will consist of an outdoor experience.

WATCH HERE THE APPONTMENT IN MAY