Based on the study by Paletto et al. (CREA, MASF, TESAF, ForestValue2 Project)
Recent evidence confirms the vital contribution of Urban Green Infrastructures (UGIs) — networks of natural and semi-natural areas designed to provide multiple ecosystem services — to citizens’ quality of life and well-being. UGIs mitigate heat, reduce noise, prevent flooding, regulate rainwater and air quality, and enhance recreation, aesthetics, and biodiversity.
European policy frameworks such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Green City Accord (2021) call for the integration of green infrastructure into urban planning to support the goals of the European Green Deal.
Within this context, the Horizon Europe Project ForestValue2 launched a participatory process in the Veneto region (north-eastern Italy) to define priorities and concrete actions for UGI planning and management.
Participatory Approach: Scientific Cafés and Co-Design Workshops
The process combined two participatory methods applied across Europe (Italy, Ireland, Finland, Romania, and Germany):
. Scientific Cafés – informal public discussions encouraging open dialogue between scientists, practitioners, and citizens.
. Co-Design Workshops – collaborative sessions where participants develop practical strategies and project proposals.
Key Steps and Outcomes in Italy
Scientific Café – Padua, September 2024
Stakeholders and experts worked in facilitated groups to prioritize key ecosystem services (ESs).11 strategic actions were identified:
4 supporting services
5 cultural services
2 regulating services
Co-Design Workshop – Vicenza, Summer 2025
Focused on Bosco di Carpaneda, an urban woodland. Participants used maps and site discussions to co-create actionable strategies for ES enhancement, reflecting local values and community needs.
The outcomes will inform guidelines for multi-ecosystem service management of urban green infrastructures — a model for participatory, science-based planning that strengthens the link between citizens and their urban nature.
Abstrac was also published in the Book of abstracts, XXXIV Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Ecologia (see page 245)
Poster of results, presented at the National Ecology Congress held from 17th to 19th September in Caserta. You can download PDF here.
