In the third issue of the 2024 monthly magazine of the Touring Club Italia, an article by Stefano Boeri titled “Italy, a Connected Forest” is published. The article introduces the Parco Italia project, a proposal by Stefano Boeri Architetti and AlberItalia, which aims to extend urban afforestation to 15 metropolitan areas (Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Florence, Genoa, Messina, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Rome, Turin, Venice). The project envisions connecting these areas through green corridors to the Apennine backbone and the Alpine system, creating a single large infrastructure along the entire peninsula.
The fundamental concept of the plan is based on the idea of treating the forest and, more specifically, trees, as full-fledged inhabitants, not just distant guests in our reality. This approach forms a new alliance between forests and cities.
The current state of the country is characterized by 35% forested areas – approximately 11 million hectares – and 25% protected areas, with over 50% covered by forests. However, the territory lacks a common plan, and there is a widespread fragmentation of protected areas that weakens their potential ecosystem services.
Given these considerations, the strategies for the Parco Italia project start with the seemingly simple but strategically complex idea of creating a vast network of forests and ecological connections. This network physically links urban and coastal areas with the extensive forest structure and protected areas.
To read the complete issue, visit: https://www.touringclub.it/cosa-facciamo/produzioni-editoriali/riviste/marzo-2024