Building Greener Cities Together: Urban Afforestation Requires Multiple Skills to Address Social, Ecological, and Climate Challenges
Authors: Resemini Raffaello , Geroldi Chiara , Capotorti Giulia , De Toni Andrea , Parisi Francesco , De Sanctis Michele , Cabai Thomas , Rossini Micol , Vignali Luigi , Poli Matteo Umberto , Lo Piccolo Ermes , Mariotti Barbara , Arcidiacono Andrea , Biella Paolo , Alghisi Erica , Bani Luciano , Bertini Massino , Blasi Carlo , Buffi Francesca , Caprio Enrico , Castiglione Stefano , Digiovinazzo Patrizia , Dondina Olivia , Fanelli Giuliano , Ferrini Francesco , Fiorilli Valentina , Gaiani Gianluca , Gambino Daniela , Genre Andrea , Lasserre Bruno , Maltoni Alberto , Marchetti Marco , Montagnani Chiara , Ottaviano Marco , Panigada Cinzia , Ronchi Silvia , Salata Stefano , Salbitano Fabio , Simoni Enrico , Versace Soraya , Pastore Maria Chiara , Citterio Sandra , Labra Massimo , Gentili Rodolfo 
Published: January 2025

Urban afforestation is increasingly regarded as a key strategy for fostering biodiversity to restore and enhance the ecosystem services needed to counteract the effects of climate change in built-up areas. In Italy, several experimental afforestation projects have been launched as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), focusing on cities or metropolitan areas such as Milan, Rome, Pistoia and Campobasso. These projects follow a multidisciplinary approach, integrating botanists, foresters, urban planners, landscape architects and remote sensing specialists. The goal is to address the challenging complexity of urban forest restoration through reforestation and afforestation actions. Key innovations include the integration of transdisciplinary methodologies (landscape analysis, landscape design, forest and plant ecology) with the application of advanced remote sensing technologies and participatory community engagement frameworks to address ecological and social challenges. Experimental plots have been set up across various urban areas, testing a range of planting schemes to maximise climate change resilience and ensure long-term ecological sustainability. Emphasis has been placed on selecting drought-tolerant and thermophilic species that are better adapted to widespread warming and local urban heat islands. ‘Biodiversity strips’ with perennial flowers for insects, shrubs with berries for birds and nests for wild bees and vertebrates have been set up to enhance biodiversity in new afforestation areas. Advanced monitoring tools, such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and multi-sensor drones, have been employed alongside field observations to assess forest growth, species survival, structural complexity and biodiversity enhancement over time. Historical analyses of landscape patterns and ecological connectivity over the past 200 years, along with evaluations of afforestation projects from the last 70 years, have provided critical insights into the successes and challenges of previous interventions, serving as a guide for future efforts. By focusing on ecological connectivity, the integration of afforested areas into the urban matrix, and citizen engagement, the current project aims to align urban forestry efforts with sustainable development goals. This comprehensive project framework addresses environmental restoration and the social and aesthetic impacts on local communities, contributing to the overall resilience and well-being of urban and peri-urban ecosystems.