UN Honors Forestami Project, Calling It a ‘Model for Ecosystem Restoration’

UN Honors Forestami Project, Calling It a ‘Model for Ecosystem Restoration’

(ANSA) - ROMA, 30 OTT - At COP17 on biodiversity, the United Nations awarded the Metropolitan City of Milan’s Forestami reforestation project the World Restoration Flagship designation, recognizing it as an international benchmark for ecosystem restoration. The announcement of the award took place, as explained by the Italian Embassy in Armenia, at the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity currently underway in Yerevan, and Italy was the only European country honored by the UN in 2026, along with other initiatives underway in China, Colombia, Ethiopia, and the United States. Forestami was launched in 2019 as a scientific research project on the potential and benefits of urban reforestation in the Milan metropolitan area and involves citizens, citizens, local communities, institutions, associations, and companies in the shared responsibility of mitigating climate change by planting 3 million new trees by 2030. The Metropolitan City of Milan’s urban reforestation project is based on research conducted by the Polytechnic University of Milan and aims to bring nature back into the city by increasing the number of trees and restoring space for ecosystems in a densely urbanized area. Forestami aims to increase Milan’s tree cover by 5% through the planting of three million trees—roughly one for every resident of the area—and the subsequent redevelopment of 255 hectares of urban areas. Nature in metropolitan areas can, in fact, help moderate temperatures, counteract the heat island effect, improve air quality, promote biodiversity, and serve as an ally in coping with the increasingly sudden and violent events linked to climate change. “When we first began envisioning the project, we asked ourselves, above all, how much CO₂ three million new trees could absorb in our metropolitan area,” said architect Stefano Boeri, creator and founder of Forestami. “ We started on our own, then sought to involve everyone who could share this mission. Forestami was born from the idea of bringing nature back to the city. To do this, a territorial approach is needed, in which trees and vegetation become an integral part of urban infrastructure, helping to redesign streets, public spaces, and neighborhoods. However, a transformation of this magnitude can only be achieved through a shared vision and the collaboration of many different stakeholders.” “Forestami brings together institutions, municipalities, local communities, businesses, and multidisciplinary teams,” he added, “who work across various fields of expertise toward a common goal. The UN’s recognition as one of the World Restoration Flagships attests to the collective commitment to rethinking the relationship between cities and nature and to making ecosystem restoration an integral part of how we plan and transform the metropolitan landscape.” The award was accepted in Yerevan by Maria Chiara Pastore, scientific director of Forestami and professor at the Politecnico di Milano, alongside Italian Ambassador to Armenia Alessandro Ferranti, representing the Italian government. Ambassador Ferranti expressed his honor at receiving the award on behalf of Italy and congratulated the Politecnico di Milano, the City of Milan, the Metropolitan City of Milan, the Lombardy Region, and all the organizations, institutions, businesses, associations, and citizens who have contributed to Forestami. In thanking the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the ambassador reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to promoting ecosystem restoration as a fundamental pillar for the protection of biodiversity, climate action, and the building of a sustainable future for present and future generations. Read article...