Milan's Forest Project Wins Global Restoration Award

The Metropolitan City of Milan's Forestami reforestation project has been honored with the World Restoration Flagship designation by the United Nations. This award, received at the ongoing COP17 biodiversity conference in Yerevan, highlights the project as an international benchmark for ecosystem restoration. Italy was the sole European nation recognized in 2026, joining initiatives from China, Colombia, Ethiopia, and the United States.

Launched in 2019, Forestami is a scientific endeavor focused on urban reforestation within the Milan metropolitan area. It engages citizens, communities, institutions, and companies in a shared mission to plant 3 million trees by 2030, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation. Based on research from the Polytechnic University of Milan, the project seeks to reintegrate nature into the city, enhancing tree cover by 5% and redeveloping 255 hectares of urban space.

Architect Stefano Boeri, founder of Forestami, emphasized the project's collaborative nature, stating that achieving such a transformation requires a shared vision and the involvement of numerous stakeholders. The UN recognition underscores the collective commitment to redefining the relationship between cities and nature and integrating ecosystem restoration into urban planning. Scientific Director Maria Chiara Pastore and Italian Ambassador to Armenia Alessandro Ferranti accepted the award in Yerevan, reaffirming Italy's dedication to biodiversity protection and sustainable development.