Milan wears green. It is called "ForestaMi" and it is the ambitious plan of the City, led by the mayor Beppe Sala, providing for 3 million new plants in the city by 2030. Today in Milan there are approximately half a million trees. Therefore, the project aims to transform the face of the city, by making it distinctly green. A real urban forest will begin to take shape in November, under the supervision of architect Stefano Boeri, the scientific director of "ForestaMi", already author of the now famous skyscraper "Bosco Verticale".

The territory was photographed and mapped to define the existing tree heritage, and last August a guidance document for the management of the various working phases was completed. The first 100,000 trees will, in fact, be planted between the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020. So, by 2022 there will be 400.000 more trees, to then reach 2 million in the Olympic year 2026 and to complete the "forest" in 2030. It is also interesting to understand where this monumental work of reforestation in Milan will start. Boeri has supposed to start first and foremost from unused parking areas (in this way it is estimated to find space for 150,000 trees). Then it will be possible to proceed with the reclamation of the former railway yards, gaining additional space for another 250,000 plants.

The plan will be carefully presented on November 21st, at the "World Forum on Urban Forests", which will be held at the Triennale. The three million new trees will also aim to thicken the already existing projects about urban green. For example, the completion of the new park in the Adriano district and another twenty new parks. Micro-projects are also included, like the one that provides for the restyling of Piazza Sant'Agostino with 80 trees, or the shrubs that will decorate a stretch of Corso Buenos Aires, or even the green conversion of roofs, walls and courtyards promoted by the notice "Be2 ".

At the center of it all is the idea of the large metropolitan park, for the realization of which the Pgt has removed building rights on three million square meters neighbouring the South park. A huge park, which also involves the hinterland administrations and other bodies. Also considering the Milan belt, the "ForestaMi" project will expand up to over 5 million trees. And out of town there are already some proposals: among these, the transformation of a parking lot in Morimondo, new trees in the station area in Albairate, several projects in Abbiategrasso. Other proposals involve Grugnotorto park, the drainage canal course, Ca ’Granda Foundation’s grounds and Cariplo Foundation’s projects.

Private individuals also play an important role in supporting the project. For example, Falck Foundation and FS Sistemi Urbani have supported the research work, while Axa will finance plantings in school courtyards. A new challenge for Milan has just started, and you can bet that the city will do everything to win this one too.