Emilia-Romagna's green corridor is expanding thanks to 580,000 new plants distributed freely by the Region. Now the second phase of the project is starting with a € 1.6 million tender to make our cities more beautiful and liveable.

The "Mettiamo radici per il futuro" (Setting the roots for the future) project, the large-scale green plan implemented by the Region to increase forest and green areas by planting 4,5 million new trees, one for each inhabitant, within the next four years, is being strengthened and accelerated.

The first phase of the project, which in just over six months has led to the planting of around 580,000 new tree species throughout the regional territory, was completed on 15 April 2021. The Region has distributed them free of charge to schools, associations, public bodies, private companies and individuals through a network of 18 accredited garden centres.

It is the beginning of the new green corridor that Emilia-Romagna will realize in the next four years to protect the environment and air quality and whose progress you can follow directly online at the web page: https://mappa.radiciperilfuturoer.it.

And now, following the Regional Council's approval of the new call for proposals, phase two of the plan is about to begin, with a budget of over € 1,6 million to support urban forestation projects that, between now and the end of 2021, will involve the more than 200 municipalities, to which the measures of the Regional Air Quality Plan have been extended since last March.

The call will be repeated in the coming years in the same way and with identical financial coverage guaranteed by the 2021-2023 regional budget.

It is foreseen that, thanks to the boost provided by the call for proposals, the number of urban green areas in Emilia-Romagna will increase by another 100,000 plants in 2021, for a forested surface area of over 100 hectares. This is just a small share of the 10,000 more hectares of green areas in four years, and of the 45,000 fewer tonnes of CO₂ per year, set as objectives of the overall regional plan.

Projects are eligible for funding, whether they concern the creation of forest belts or the creation of real and permanent urban forests, as long as they have a surface area of at least 2,000 square metres.

The funding depends on the area planted and the number of trees placed, up to a maximum of € 15,000 per hectare. Applications will be examined in chronological order of arrival and projects must be completed by 31 December 2021. The deadline for submitting projects, which will benefit from a 75% contribution towards the cost of planting forest trees, is 1 July 2021. Applications must be submitted to the Regional Service for Protected Areas, Forests and Mountain Development by Certified Email to the following address: segrpnr@postacert.regione.emilia-romagna.it