In the Milan area "Selva Urbana" has been operating for a few years now, a
non-profit environmental association, founded in 2014, which has already been
able to plant about 5,000 trees in the Milan metropolitan area. More than 100
environmental activists are part of "Selva Urbana" who, by training,
come from different sectors but are voluntarily committed to enhance the urban
territory through the creation of forests. They do it as a community, through
fun and creativity.
Their goal coincides with
that of those who aim at urban reforestation to reduce CO2 in the air against
climate change and recreate green spaces for citizenship. The projects of
"Selva Urbana" are based on small forests composed of 50 to 600
forest trees per area, but that form ecosystems capable of enhancing even small
green portions of the city.
The association collaborates
with local governments by making the forests available to the territory, which
then takes care of them, allowing the growth and success of the project. In its
projects the association is also supported by local sponsors. Anyone can become
a member of "Selva Urbana", a supporter by making a donation, donate
their 5x1000 or become an ambassador of the association by growing the network
in other territories. Since 2017 "Selva Urbana" is part of 1%
for the Planet, a worldwide movement
collector of profit and non-profit organizations with the task of helping to
address the most urgent issues facing our planet.
Selva Urbana has also
developed its own manifesto of intent, in seven points, which focuses on the mission of the association. In
first place, of course, urban forestation, followed by the desire to bring environmental
education in schools. Third point is the protection of the environment and
biodiversity at the center of the activities that are organized; fourth is the
promotion of good practices for sustainable growth; fifth is environmental
responsibility, with the desire to reintegrate the environment into the
anthropological and social consciousness; sixth is the promotion of
volunteering as an element of solidarity and aggregation and improvement of the
territory. Finally, economic sustainability with the aim of making nature an
attractive investment for financial markets.